Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced its production and sales data for the second quarter of the current year. According to the company statement, NLMK's crude steel output in the second quarter decreased to 3.774 million mt, down 3.5 percent compared to the previous quarter. This reduction in steel production was related mainly to repair activities and the mastering of pulverized coal injection (PCI) technology at blast furnace operations. In the third quarter, this reduction is expected to be offset by an increase in steel output to 4 million mt.
In the second quarter of the current year, NLMK's rolled product output increased by 26.8 percent to 3.105 million mt, due to high demand both in the domestic and export markets, while semi-finished product output decreased by 12.7 percent to 990,900 mt, both on quarter on quarter.
In the given quarter, NLMK Group's sales decreased by 0.3 percent quarter on quarter to 3.854 million mt, while sales of rolled steel products went up by 11.9 percent quarter on quarter to 2.774 million mt. Sales to the Russian market rose by 12 percent quarter on quarter to 1.735 million mt, due to the seasonal growth in demand.