Market Segment
October 20, 2013
NLMK USA Sales Volume Up 5.1% in Q3
Written by Sandy Williams
NLMK USA steel sales totaled 451,000 metric tons (497,141 net tons) for third quarter of 2013, an increase of 5.1 percent from second quarter and 8.7 percent from third quarter 2012.
The increase was due mostly to greater US sales for hot rolled coil (HRC) and galvanized steel—275,000 tonnes (303,135 net tons) and 65,000 tonnes (71,650 net tons), respectively. Cold rolled sales totaled 111,000 tonnes (122,356 net tons), almost the same as second quarter at 110,000 tonnes.
Rolled product output for NLMK USA totaled 442,000 MT (487,221 net tons), down 4 percent quarter-over-quarter. Production at NLMK Indiana increased 5 percent to 176,000 tonnes (194,000 net tons) in the third quarter.
Service centers received 40 percent of the US division sales; 30 percent went to tube and pipe and the rest to construction and automotive companies.
NLMK Group (Russia) reported crude steel production up by 3 percent quarter over quarter to 3.897 million tonnes. Steel product sales decreased 1.4 percent to 3.719 million tonnes mostly due to a 90 percent reduction (82,000 tonnes) in pig iron sales. Sales were mostly to the Russian market (43 percent) with key export markets Europe, USA, South East Asia and the Middle East.
NLMK Group expects steel output to increase by 6 percent in fourth quarter and finished product sales to total approximately 3.9 million tonnes.
