According to Russia's Bank of Moscow, it is estimated that steel consumption in Russia in the current year will grow by more than 30 percent year on year reaching pre-crisis levels, mainly due to very strong demand from the domestic pipe industry and to the overall recovery of the country's economy.
Based on further growth of the market by 5-10 percent per year, by 2015 Russian steel producers will deliver up to 80-90 percent of their products to the domestic market, excluding semi-finished steel products. Meanwhile, active infrastructure construction, which involves preparations for the football ‘2018 World Cup' in Russia, could make Russia a net importer of steel in the second half of the decade.