Russia: TMK pipes sales up in 2018
In 2018 TMK increased steel pipes sales by 6% YoY, to 4.01 million tons. Seamless pipes accounted for 2.767 million tons, up by 3%. The sales of welded pipes grew by 11%, to 1.243 million tons. (Ukrainian metal)
Russia: banks gold purchases down in 2018
Gold purchases by Russian banks fell by 4.5%, to 195.85 tons in 2018, which accounted for 69% of all produced gold, a source in the Finance Ministry reported on January 22. “Besides, domestic banks signed sales contracts for gold for the same amount, 195.89 tons, in 2016. VTB, Gazprombank, Sberbank and Otkritie Financial Corporation (FC)…
Russia: Mechel restructures $1-billion syndicated loan
Russian metals and mining group Mechel has restructured a $1-billion pre-export syndicated loan, the company said in a statement on January 22. “This became possible thanks to a credit line provided by VTB Bank in euros with maturity in April 2022. The grace period for the principal debt is set until April 2020,” the company…
Russia: PMH pig iron output up in 2018
In 2018 the Industrial Metallurgical Holding enterprises increased output. Thus, Tulachermet produced 2.34 million tons of pig iron, up by 3% YoY. The company operated two furnaces, which were repaired in July-August 2017 and in August 2018. Coalmining enterprises had a task of decreasing ash content in coal. The Butovskaya mine was able to decrease…
Russia: VMZ railroad sales up in 2018
Vyksa Iron and Steel Works increased sales of railroad wheels by 25% YoY in 2018, to 860 thousand pieces. This is the highest result in the company 45-year history. The previous record of 850 thousand wheels was set in 2012. “The increase of railroad wheels manufacture and sales has to do with the high demand…
Russia: NLMK sells Accounting Center to Fletcher Group
NLMK Group has sold 100% of its stake in NLMK Accounting Center to Fletcher Group Holdings Limited for a total of 23.9 million rubles. NLMK Accounting Center will be used as a platform for setting up a single service company, NLMK Corporate Solutions Center, that will provide services to NLMK Group companies and Universal Cargo…
Russia: VIZ-Stal output up in 2018
In 2018 VIZ-Stal increased output by 5% YoY, to 170.4 thousand tons of transformer steel. The loading of capacities was high – 99%. Sales also grew by 5%, to 168.2 thousand tons. Exports accounted for 77%. The main customers were India, Turkey, Near East and North America. (Ukrainian metal)
Russia: Kuzbass to open two pits and four factories
This year Kuzbass region intends to commission 6 coal objects. In particular, these are two pits – Chernokaltanskiy (Ugletrans LLC) and March 8 (SDS-Ugol) with the capacity of 2 million and 1 million tons of coal per year respectively. Combined they will create 450 jobs. Moreover, coal companies plan to put 4 processing factories into…