Russian metallurgists managed to provide full capacities load in 2009 only due o export contracts. Despite he industry showed 13% fall, Russia became the world-third steel producer in 2009.
According to the analyst of “BrokCreditServis” Oleg Petropavlovskiy, Western and Eastern Europe, where the decrease amounted 30% averagely suffered most of all. At that some countries decreased steel output by 45–50% as compared with 2008. China managed to show 10% growth. Meanwhile export contracts and Russian ruble devaluation helped Russia to overcome small and big market players in whole South East Asia and in China, in particular, despite the import duties introduction on electrical steel. “Novolipetsk Steel”, one of the world-largest manufacturers of these products, was not very much touched by this, since the import duty for its products is rather low and the company can further the supplies to this country”, - said Mr Petropavlovskiy.
Although the world leaders several times announced the necessity to reject the protectionism, the number of the bans is growing, the experts say. “Today the number of the bans in the world is ten times as many as, for example, 20 years ago” - said the CEO of Rusmet.ru, Victor Kovshevny.
The survival of the industry is connected to metal products consumption in Russian domestic market and to further development of the industry in China. “If China can not keep its domestic steel consumption, Chinese steel will rush to global market and Russian metallurgists will loose the advantage they have comparing with other sectors. However, China is ready to Buy Russian semi products”, - Mr Kovshevny says.
The competitive ability of Russian metallurgical companies depends on Western investments, the analysts say. But only players, transparent for the investors can attract the assets.