Russia’s steel pipe output continues to increase in January

According to the data issued by Russia's Ministry of Economic Development, in January this year Russia registered a 30.5 percent year-on-year increase in its steel pipe production to 819,000 mt.
 
In particular, in January of the current year, Russia's output of electric-welded large diameter (LD) pipes increased by 30.7 percent, its production of electric-welded pipes, excluding LD pipes, went up by 42.9 percent, its production of welded pipes went down by 11.9 percent, production of seamless pipes saw an increase of 22.3 percent, output of casing pipes increased by 31.1 percent, production of drill pipes went up by 2.5 times, while output of tubing went down by 1.8 percent, all compared to January 2010.
 
In 2010, Russia's steel pipe exports decreased by 35.1 percent year on year to 1.03 million mt. Over the years, the CIS market has been the main focus of Russia's steel pipe exports; however, in 2010, the share of steel pipe supplies to non-CIS countries exceeded half of the total export figure, accounting for a 52.8 percent share at 544,200 mt.
 
Russia's steel pipe imports increased in 2010 by 139.2 percent year on year to 1.466 million mt. The share of imported steel pipes in the domestic market amounted to 15.3 percent in 2010 (10.8 percent in 2009, 17 percent in 2008).
 
The ministry noted that during the period in question Russia's steel pipe imports significantly exceeded its steel pipe exports, as domestic consumption of pipes in 2010 (excluding stocks) sharply increased by 66.4 percent year on year, with pipemakers switching from foreign markets to satisfy demand in the domestic market. The production of steel pipes in Russia in 2010 also exceeded the pre-crisis level of 2008 by 17.6 percent, with the growth rate of domestic consumption increasing by 28.7 percent in 2010 compared to 2008.