Russian metallurgical industry: current state of development

The Russian Federation Ministry of Industry and Energy has issued its data on the state of development of the Russian metallurgical industry for the January-September 2006 period. According to the figures, during the January-September 2006 period the growth of the Russian metallurgical industry equaled 110.7 percent year on year. During the period in question, pig iron production growth was 107.6 percent, that of steel was 107.2 percent, while production growth of finished steel products was 107.4 percent - including long products growth of 109.5 percent and flat rolled growth of 104.9 percent. The share of oxygen-converted steel and electro-steel in the overall steel production decreased to 78.9 percent in first nine months of 2006 from 80 percent in the first nine months of 2005. The long product share of overall finished steel output changed slightly from 55.5 percent in January-September 2005 to 55.7 percent for the corresponding period of 2006. On the other hand, the share of flat rolled decreased to 42.7 percent from 43.5 percent for the same period. CR production growth in the first nine months of 2006 was 108.1 percent. Sheet and tin with coating saw a noticeable increase – of 121.8 percent - during the same period. During the January-September 2006 period, MMK, NLMK and Chelyabinsk Iron and Steel Works recorded year on year production growth figures of 110.9 percent, 101.6 percent and 131.3 percent respectively. On the other hand, Severstal-Cherepovets Steel Plant and NTMK registered negative growths of 75.9 percent and 99.5 percent respectively during the same period. Billet production in the country showed an 11 percent increase during the period in question. Pipe production for the first nine months of 2006 increased 18.3 percent year on year to 5.77 million metric tons. During the period in question, Vyksa Steel Works and Seversk Pipe Plant recorded increases in pipe production of 158.9 percent and 111.1 percent respectively. During January –September 2006, the increases in pipe production according to the various categories were as follow: seamless pipes - 104.6 percent, welded pipes - 112.5 percent, electro-welded pipes - 129.4 percent, large diameter pipes - 132.8 percent, seamless pipes used in oil pipeline - 85 percent, electro-welded pipes used in oil pipelines -126 percent, pipes used in water-gas pipelines - 121 percent.