Russkaya Stal (Russian Steel), a non-profit association of Russian domestic steelmakers, has reported that its main member enterprises produced 4.48 million metric tons of finished steel in April this year, down 4.4 percent from March and decreasing by 4.8 percent compared to April last year. Finished steel production of the member enterprises came to 18.07 million mt in the January-April period this year, down 3.1 percent compared to the same period of last year.
Finished steel shipments of Russian Steel member companies to domestic end-users in April were up by 2.9 percent month on month to 2.84 million mt, while year-on-year figures indicated a three percent increase. In the first four months of this year, Russian Steel companies shipped 10.302 million mt of finished steel to the local market, down 0.7 percent year on year.
Members of Russian Steel exported 1.64 million mt of finished steel in April, down 14.8 percent compared to March and down 15.8 percent compared to April last year. In the January-April period, export shipments were at the level of 7.768 million mt, down 6.2 percent year on year.
Members of Russian Steel account for 96 percent of the pig iron produced in Russia as well as 90 percent of domestic crude and finished steel production.