The Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced its production and sales data for the first quarter ended on March 31, 2012.
According to the company statement, NLMK's crude steel output in the first quarter increased to 3.6 million mt, up 14 percent compared to the previous quarter, which corresponds to an utilization rate of over 90 percent, as the new blast furnace No. 7 at Novolipetsk, NLMK's main production site in Lipetsk, gradually increased its capacity.
The total sales volume of steel products of NLMK Group in the first quarter is reported to be 3.77 million mt, up 36.6 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year. In the first quarter, NLMK saw the total sales volume of steel products at its main site at Lipetsk increase to 3.03 million mt, up 49 percent year on year.
NLMK also stated that it expects to increase its sales volume for the second quarter of the current year supported by the seasonal upturn in demand. The company continues to forecast that its crude steel output will reach about 15 million mt in 2012.