Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced its production and sales data for the third quarter of the current year. According to the company’s statement, NLMK’s crude steel output in the third quarter totaled 3.9 million mt, up three percent compared to the previous quarter. In the January-September period, the company’s crude steel output totaled 11.9 million mt.
In the third quarter, NLMK Group’s total steel product sales increased by two percent compared to the previous quarter to 4.4 million mt, while rising by 11 percent year on year, due mainly to higher pig iron sales to the US, Chinese, and Turkish markets. In the first nine months of the current year, the company’s total steel product sales increased by three percent year on year to 13.3 million mt, driven by an increase in pig iron sales to one million mt.
In the third quarter of 2020, domestic sales totaled 2.8 million mt, up 19 percent quarter on quarter due to the recovery in demand for finished products in the Russian market, while falling by two percent compared to the same quarter of 2019, amid a decrease in demand for slabs for production of large-diameter pipes in the Russia market. In the January-September period, the company’s domestic sales decreased by four percent year on year to 8.1 million mt, mainly due to lower demand in the US market.
The company’s export sales in the given quarter totaled 1.8 million mt, up by 42 percent year on year, as shipments of semi-finished products increased, while decreasing 10 percent quarter on quarter due to the recovery in business activity in Russia. In the first nine months of the current year, the company’s export sales increased by 16 percent year on year to 5.2 million mt, supported by increased exports of pig iron and slabs.