Russkaya Stal (Russian Steel), a non-pro association of Russian domestic steelmakers, has reported that its main member enterprises produced 4.65 million metric tons of finished steel in December last year, up six percent from November and up five percent compared to December 2012. Finished steel production of the member enterprises came to 54.2 million mt in the whole of 2013, down two percent year on year.

Finished steel shipments of Russian Steel member companies to domestic end-users in December were down by two percent month on month to 2.41 million mt but up 4.4 percent compared to December 2012. In 2013, Russian Steel member companies shipped 31.3 million mt of finished steel to the local market, up 0.61 percent year on year.

Members of Russian Steel exported 2.24 million mt of finished steel in December last year, up 16.3 percent compared to November and up 5.5 percent compared to December 2012. In the whole of 2013, finished steel export shipments of the member companies amounted to 22.9 million mt, down 5.4 percent year on year.

Members of Russian Steel account for around 96 percent of the pig iron produced in Russia as well as around 90 percent of domestic crude and finished steel production.