Mechel, one of the leading Russian mining and steel groups, has announced that in the first nine months of the current year its crude steel output has not shown any changes compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and stayed at 4.5 million mt.
In January-September of 2011, Mechel saw a 14 percent decrease in its pig iron output. In the given period, coke sales declined by seven percent year on year due to Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's decreased demand due to temporary halting of the blast furnace No 5 for the scheduled repairs.
According to Mechel statement, steel product sales increased by 16 percent in the first nine months compared to the same period of the previous year, including sales of flat and long steel products which went up by 69 percent and 18 percent respectively.