He is Heinz Schimmelbusch, 44-year-old deputy chairman of Metallgesellschaft A.G., a West German multinational that produces nonferrous metals and runs a global trading organization.
Metallgesellschaft blamed lower nonferrous metals prices and continuing production problems in new smelting plants, as well as general economic conditions, especially in the auto parts industry.
He puts paper and forest-product concerns and nonferrous metal, chemical and some technology issues in this group.
It's Marubeni's first long-term contract with a Soviet concern for nonferrous metal imports.
Mitsubishi Metal makes nonferrous and fabricated metals and produces silicon wafers through its Japan Silicon unit.
Prices of basic metal prices fell 0.7% in October, with prices of nonferrous metal products declining 2.9%.
"This is a greater loophole." On the domestic front, the Bank of Japan said rising costs of such raw materials as processed foods, construction materials and general machinery were offset by falling prices of chemicals and nonferrous metals.
The merger will link one of Japan's largest smelters of nonferrous metals with one of its largest producers of cement.
Asarco, a nonferrous metals producer, said it expects a decision on the project in the next several months.