In the first quarter of this year, Bursa-based Turkish steelmaker Cemtas Celik Makina Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S (Cemtas) posted total sales of 29,143 metric tons, decreasing by six percent as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. Of the total sales volume, 12,638 metric tons were shipped to the domestic market - up 16.25 percent, while sales to foreign markets declined by 18 percent to 16,505 metric tons, both compared to Q1 2010. In the quarter in question, the share of export sales in the company's total sales came to 57 percent, compared to 65 percent in Q1 2010.
In January-March of the current year, Cemtas' steel billet output totaled 31,144 metric tons, dropping by 10 percent year on year, while its rolled steel output decreased by one percent year on year, amounting to 28,818 metric tons.
Assessing the market in the first quarter of this year, Cemtas said that steel prices have shown a significant fluctuation, due to the volatility in raw material prices, particularly scrap prices, and also in demand. The company expects the volatility to continue throughout the second quarter of this year.
Cemtas is specialized in the production of special grade steel, mainly for the automotive and machine manufacturing industries. The company has a melt shop with an annual capacity of 153,150 metric tons, and a rolling mill with an annual capacity of 228,160 metric tons.