Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced its production and sales data for the third quarter and the first nine months of the current year. According to the company’s statement, NLMK's crude steel output in the third quarter totaled 3.7 million mt, down 15 percent year on year due to ongoing repairs at NLMK Lipetsk blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace operations, while in the first nine months its crude steel output totaled 11.77 million mt, decreasing by nine percent year on year.
In the third quarter, NLMK Group's total steel product sales decreased by nine percent to 4.01 million mt compared to the same period of the previous year due to the decrease in semi-finished product sales, while in the January-September period its total steel product sales remained stable at 12.9 million mt as compared to the same period of the previous year.
In the third quarter of 2019, domestic sales totaled 2.8 million mt, up two percent year on year supported by higher sales of slabs for the production of oil and gas pipes, while in the first nine months its domestic sales totaled 8.48 million mt, up five percent year on year. On the other hand, the company’s export sales totaled 1.3 million mt in the third quarter, down 18 percent year on year due to lower export sales of pig iron against the backdrop of repairs at NLMK Lipetsk and lower demand for billets, while in the first nine months of the year its export sales decreased by six percent to 4.5 million mt year on year.