According to the data released by the Russian Federation's Federal State Statistics Service, the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products in Russia in July this year registered a 14.2 percent decrease year on year, while in January-July 2009 a drop of 24.3 percent was recorded compared to the same period last year.
In July Russia registered a 16.9 percent decrease in its crude steel production year on year to 5.3 million metric tons - up ten percent month on month. In July, Russia produced four million metric tons of pig iron and blast furnace ferroalloys - down 8.7 percent year on year and up 11.7 percent month on month, 4.3 million mt of billets - down 7.9 percent year on year and up 10.8 percent month on month, 2.5 million metric tons of long products - down 14.7 percent year on year and up 10.9 percent month on month, and two million metric tons of flat rolled products - down 9.3 percent year on year and up 9.2 percent month on month. The above flat rolled production figure includes 600,000 metric tons of cold rolled - down 15.4 percent, and 1.4 million metric tons of hot rolled - down 6.3 percent, both compared to July 2008.
In addition, in July this year Russia produced 449,000 mt rolled products from low-alloyed steel - down 52.3 percent, 283,000 mt of coated sheet and tinplate - down 8.8 percent, 34,000 mt of cold rolled steel strip - down 55.7 percent, 58,400 mt of bent-steel sections - down 21.2 percent, and 25,500 mt of wire rod - down 66.7 percent, all compared to the same month last year.
Meanwhile, Russia's output of steel pipes in July decreased by 22 percent year on year to 551,200 mt, including 162,000 mt of seamless pipes - down 35.2 percent, 16,200 mt of welded pipes - down 42 percent, and 373,000 mt of electric-welded pipes - down 18.3 percent, all compared with the same month last year. Of the total steel pipe production figure, the share of casing pipes accounted for 41,400 mt - down 49.3 percent year on year. In addition, during the month in question, Russia produced 1,600 mt of drill pipes - down 47 percent, and 26,500 of tubing pipes - down 23.9 percent, both compared to July 2008.