ASUKA ALUMINIUM NEWS NO. 630 DECEMBER 2013
Comparison of year end metals prices 2012-2013
Reduced yen
At the market in Japan, the most conspicuous change was the decline of yen. It
really plunged 24 per cent against US dollar during a year, but in spite of such a big
yen’s depreciation, Japanese consumer price did not almost change. It was very lucky
and very happy for civil life.
At our metals market, most prices went up 10 per cent odd without regard for thedwindled international market prices in US dollar.
It stands out that the fuel oil rose and the gold weakened.
Expectation in the New YearThe weakened international metals market shows a marking time of world
economy. The anticipated developing countries confront various difficult obstacles,
inflation, political unrest and so on.
However in the New Year, most developed countries will show an economic
moderate advance supported by the financial recovery of European countries.
Synthetically, we expect that the world economy will be able to enjoy a steady advancein coming 2014.
Notes for the table on page one(1) primary aluminum (2) zinc diecast ally (3) copper listed (4) lead listed(5) zinc listed (6) tin (7) nickel (8) steel bar (9) steel sheet (10) steel scrap (11)aluminum scrap TENSE <US cent /lb> (12) fuel oil <yen/liter> (13) gold <yen/gram>(14) yen/US dollar
Unit: yen/ton except (11), (12), (13) and (14).
Our winter holidays
We are pleased to announce that our winter holidays are as follows.
December 28 (Saturday) ~ January 5 (Sunday)
Yearend comments
Bygone flowers and coming buds
Masanao Okada, Director“We enjoy a lot of lovely bygone flowers now, and at the same time we enjoy a lot ofhopeful coming buds now.” A noted ceramist said. I thoroughly realize that we canenjoy today’s life ourselves enough through “bygone flowers” and “coming buds” fromthe bottom of my heart.
Today’s our business confronts many hard difficulties, the inflow of foreign madeproducts, the outflow of aluminum scrap, the higher price of energy and so on. Under
these circumstances, we must make efforts to cut costs continuously.
I believe this is our only way to requite “bygone flowers” and to enjoy “coming buds”,
and at the end of this year, I thank you very much for your great support given us
during whole 2013.
The year of Horse
Katsumi Sugiyama, Director
In Japan every year has a nickname composed from twelve animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger,

Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Cock, Dog and Wild boar in turn. Thisyear falls on Snake and the New Year falls on Horse. It is traditionally and widelybelieved that the year of Horse symbolizes powerful prosperity.
In the New Year 2014, year of Horse, the high productivity and the excellent qualityof our products will more support our all customers, and will more contribute to allindustries, I believe.
I heartily expect that we enjoy the New Year, the year of spanker, thoroughly
ourselves together with all our reliable business contacts.
Disaster prevention drill
A disaster prevention training was held on November 9 supported by Nishio FireStation as the photo on page two shows. Some firemen and a fire engine coached us forfighting a fire and preventing disaster through some actual experiences.
It was the first drill at our new Nakabata plant, and it turned out very informative.
We express great appreciation for their kind coaching.
The 30th New Year Praying Meeting opens
It is recently announced that that the 30th New Year Praying Meeting will be heldon January 17 at the Kira Kanko Hotel in Mikawa Bay National Park, where the 80 ofdelegates from scrap suppliers are invited.
As in other years, Chairman Hisashi Amano will have a talk entitled “New Yearrandom talk” at the hotel, and then the all attendants are going to visit Kannon
Temple on the top of Mt. Sangane by bus.
The Praying Meeting for business prosperity and traffic safety in the New Year will
be held solemnly at the temple, and then a grand New Year party will open in
traditional Japanese fashion at the hotel.
Successful and informative meeting is expected. The photo on page three is the KiraKanko Hotel
Company news
Hekinan Technical High School sent us the 43 students of Environmental Technology Dpt. on November 15. They had a special lecture intensely on energy and resources issues from President Takashi Amano as the top photo on page four shows.
After the lecture they went around our plant very interestingly. Some days after, thestudents sent us their sincere thanks and remarks.
On the same day, the 20 members of Central Mines Association visited us succeeding above high school students. The association is organized by mining companies incentral area, and this observation tour was planned under the auspices of theassociation and the Central Industrial Safety Supervision Agency. At first President
Takashi Amano explained our company’s conspectus and our labor safety measures,and then they enjoyed a plant tour with much interest as the below photo on page 4.
Eventful year, 2013, is going over.
May the coming New Year be happy and prosperous for every reader of Asuka
Aluminium News in the whole world.