Izhstal's export of long products down 6 percent in Q1

Izhstal's export of long products fell 6 percent year on year to around 27,100 tons in the first quarter of 2006. Billet to be re-rolled in the Middle East and Latin America took approximately 35-37 percent of the exported volume. In the first quarter, the biggest importers of Izhstal's long products were the EU, Turkey, Iran and the US. To Turkey it was supplied over 1,000 tons per month of HR round bar, to Iran was supplied around 1,000 tons of calibrated, surface-conditioned and HR long products per month, and to the US was supplied 500 tons of rapid steel and steel products per month. In the second quarter of 2006, the company is planning to export 30,000 tons of the steel products, one third of which will be billet for re-rolling.