Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced its production and sales data for the fourth quarter and whole year of 2018. According to the company’s statement, NLMK's crude steel output in the fourth quarter totaled 4.4 million mt, down one percent compared to the previous quarter, driven by the planned maintenance at NLMK Russia Long and NLMK USA, but up one percent year on year. In 2018, the company’s crude steel production increased by two percent year on year to 17.5 million mt.
In the fourth quarter, NLMK Group's total steel product sales rose by five percent to 4.6 million mt compared to the third quarter, driven by the higher demand for slab and pig iron in export markets. Meanwhile, in 2018, total steel product sales totaled 17.6 million mt, rising by seven percent compared to 2017, driven by the growth of demand in key sales markets.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, domestic sales totaled 2.5 million mt, down nine percent quarter on quarter, while the company’s external sales totaled 2.1 million mt, growing by 32 percent quarter on quarter, due to the increase in semi-finished product exports led by growing demand in international sales markets.