TOKYO -- With cheap Chinese steel flooding the global market, Nippon Steel and ArcelorMittal have set aside their past differences to cooperate more closely in a fast-changing industry.
The companies have not always been on friendly terms. At one point, Nippon Steel had taken steps to ward off a potential hostile takeover from its much larger competitor. But they have forged a partnership in recent years, as they consider joint investments in a wide range of markets, from the U.S. to Southeast Asia.