Russian steelmaker Severstal has announced its operational results for the fourth quarter and the full year of 2019. Accordingly, Severstal's crude steel production in the fourth quarter decreased by ten percent to 2.71 million mt compared to 3.03 million mt recorded in the previous quarter. The decline is attributed to short-term maintenance works at the BOF and EAF facilities and lower EAF production in the last quarter of 2019 after the sale of the Balakovo mini-mill in the third quarter. In 2019, Severstal's crude steel production fell by two percent to 11.85 million mt, on year-on-year basis.
In the fourth quarter, Severstal's total consolidated steel product sales declined by six percent quarter on quarter to 2.65 million mt. The share of export sales increased to 41 percent due to a seasonal slowdown in domestic demand. In 2019, Severstal's total consolidated steel product sales amounted to 11.15 million mt, remaining almost stable on year-on-year basis.
In the same quarter, Severstal's Russian Steel division’s steel product sales decreased by six percent to 2.66 million mt compared with the previous quarter. Semi-finished product sales increased by 134 percent quarter on quarter to 208,000 mt.
In the fourth quarter last year, Severstal's iron ore pellet sales grew by 14 percent to 2.81 million mt, while its iron ore concentrate sales volumes decreased by 17 percent to 1.6 million mt, both on quarter-on-quarter basis. Total coal sales volumes of the company decreased by one percent from the previous quarter to 1.33 million mt.