Russian steelmaker Ural Steel is planning to produce 212,000 tonnes of pig iron in January, 13% up m-o-m. In December, the company produced less pig iron due to low quality of coal. For the same reason, this month actual output may be also lower than the planned one.
The producer has set January production target at 91,500 tonnes, slightly more than in December. Ural Steel is planning to increase annual output of pig iron to 1.05 mt in 2011 (15% up from 2010). Producer's merchant pig iron is mostly exported to Europe, USA and the Far East. Domestic shipments are insignificant.
At the moment, the company's three blast furnaces are operational: BF No.2 (50,000 tpm), BF No.3 (90,000 tpm) and BF No.4 (100,000 tpm). The producer stopped its BF No.1 (62,000 tpm) for maintenance without capacity expansion on May 21 2010. Final date of re-launch of the unit is yet to be set and will depend on how soon the reconstruction is completed and the situation in the market for finished products. Metal Expert estimates, the BF will be recommissioned in mid-2011 at earliest.
February production target has not yet been approved, however, due to shorter working month, the output is expected to decrease by 5-6% compared to planned production in January.
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