Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced its production and sales data for the third quarter and for the first nine months of the current year. According to the company’s statement, NLMK's crude steel output in the third quarter increased to 4.36 million mt, up seven percent compared to the previous quarter due to increased output at NLMK’s Russian divisions driven by the seasonal uptick in demand in the Russian market. In the January-September period, the company’s crude steel production increased by three percent year on year to 12.59 million mt.
In the third quarter, NLMK Group's total steel product sales increased by one percent to 4.24 million mt, mainly due to seasonal growth in demand in the Russian market and improved conditions in the global market, compared to the second quarter of this year. Meanwhile, in the first nine months of the current year, total steel product sales fell by one percent year on year to 12.11 million mt.
In the given quarter, domestic sales totaled 2.87 million mt, up seven percent quarter on quarter and accounting for 67 percent of total sales, while the company’s external sales totaled 1.44 million mt, down three percent quarter on quarter and accounting for 33 percent of total sales.