Tinplate needs promotion

Tinplate needs promotion

MIAMI, U.S. (Reuter): Asian tinplated steelmakers and tin
producers should pool efforts to promote the steel beverage can
in the face of rival plastic and aluminum's growing success in
the region, a steel official said.

Sunartadirdja Sufirman, president of Latinusa, the tinplate
division of Indonesia's Krakatau Steel Group, said South East
Asia was behind Europe and other regions in promoting tinplated
steel beverage cans.

"We must really promote the steel can, but we must do it
together, and be supported by the government," Sufirman said.

In Europe, steel has 51 percent of the beverage can market
compared to aluminum's 49 percent. In the U.S. the aluminum can
has all the beverage can market, but steel is making a comeback
bid, partly by learning lessons from Europe.

Sufirman was attending Metal Bulletin's International Tin
Conference here.

South East Asia is a major producer of tin, Sufirman said, but
tinplate production was below capacity.

Latinusa is investing US$70 million to double its tinplate
production over the next two years to 300,000 tones a year. The
company's production is consumed domestically to make food tins.

All beverage cans used in Indonesia are made from aluminum,
Sufirman said.