Ontario


	The Japan Times WORLD EYE REPORTS ONTARIO

©THE JAPAN TIMES	Saturday, March 27, 2004

A partnership as strong as steel

Despite Canada’s immense size and diversity, Ontario is the country’s only province that supplies steel products. And with few players in the Canadian steel sector, the market is more open to multinational companies. Enter global giants Nissho Iwai and Mitsubishi.

Two of the largest diversified Japanese corporations, Nissho Iwai and Mitsubishi Corporation have joined forces to create Metal One. The joint venture was established in January 2003 in a bid to create the next generation of global steel service companies.

In 1988, Nissho Iwai established four companies in Ingersoll, Ontario to supply Cami Automotive, a car manufacturing company, which in turn was a joint venture between Suzuki and General Motors. Nissho Iwai, Ingersoll, Monzen Steel, and Nifast Canada are now under the Metal One umbrella.

Akira Ishimura, president of Metal One Canada Corporation

“We have worked with Cami for 15 years and always met their needs on time,” says Akira Ishimura, president of Metal One Canada Corporation. “Today we not only supply Cami but also many of their suppliers. In fact, most of our business does come from the automotive sector anymore. Monzen Steel also supplies the construction, home appliance and other industries. We hope to continue with our diversification.”

Metal One’s vision is to create new markets by increasing added value to the metals industry and making the industry as a whole more advanced and more international. The company refers to itself as a “Metal Market Maker.”

Cami remains an important client. “This year they launched the new GM Equinox medium-sized SUV,” comments Ishimura. “It looks very good and is expected to be in high demand, so we are anticipating much growth in our business over the next four years.”

But continued diversification is never far from mind either. “We see much growth in the construction industry and expanding business to the US,” Ishimura concludes. “ Eventually we want to work with Toyota, Honda and their suppliers. I feel we can utilize the strengths of our parent companies to continue our growth both globally and here in Canada as well.”

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