Russkaya Stal (Russian Steel), a non-profit association of Russian domestic steelmakers, has reported that its main member enterprises produced 4.36 million metric tons of finished steel in September this year, down four percent from August and decreasing by 7.7 percent compared to September last year. Finished steel production of the member enterprises came to 40.57 million mt in the January-September period this year, down 3.3 percent compared to the same period last year.
Finished steel shipments of Russian Steel member companies to domestic end-users in September were down by 1.6 percent month on month to 2.71 million mt and down two percent compared to September 2012. In the first nine months of this year, Russian Steel member companies shipped 23.87 million mt of finished steel to the local market, up 0.6 percent year on year.
Members of Russian Steel exported 1.65 million mt of finished steel in September this year, down 15.8 percent compared to September last year. In the January-September period, export shipments of the member companies amounted to 16.7 million mt, down 8.3 percent year on year.
Members of Russian Steel account for around 96 percent of the pig iron produced in Russia as well as around 90 percent of domestic crude and finished steel production.