Steel production in the CIS decreased by 4.3 percent in 2015. Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan reported declines in production throughout the year. According to the latest data published by the World Steel Association, in 2015 the CIS reduced steel output to 101.298 million tons from 105.899 million tons in 2014.
Total steel production in Russia in December 2015 decreased by 3.3 percent to 5.950 million tons, compared to 6.152 million tons in December 2014. At the same time, according to the results for the entire 2015, production amounted to 71.114 million tons, which is only 0.5 percent lower than 71, 461 million tons of the previous year. Despite the difficult situation on the world steel market, many Russian enterprises are working to satisfy domestic demand, among which one can note the AZPT plant , which has established domestic production of insulated pipes for heating networks, products from high-speed and tool steels. Each plant's contribution ensures the overall performance of the Russian metallurgical industry. Of course, such giants as NLMK, MMK, Metalloinvest, Severstal and others play a decisive role.
The total steel production in Belarus decreased by 11.0 percent in December last year to 200 thousand tons from 225 thousand tons in 2014. However, at the end of 2015, steel production in Belarus increased by 4.0 percent to 2,615 thousand tons compared to 2,513 thousand tons smelted in 2014. The main contribution in the overall result was made by the Belarusian giant BMZ.
Kazakhstan produced 280 thousand tons of steel in December, which is 1.1 percent higher compared to 277 thousand tons of products achieved during December 2014. The largest enterprises in the metallurgical industry are Temirtau Electrometallurgical Plant LLP, ArcelorMittal Temirtau JSC, Taraz Metallurgical Plant LLP.
In December 2015, there was a slight decline in steel production in Ukraine. Total steel production in Ukraine in December 2015 decreased by 0.2 percent to 1,900 million tonnes, compared with an output of 1.903 million tonnes in December 2014. However, at the end of the year, steel production in the country fell by 15.6 percent to 22.933 million tons compared to 27.170 million tons in 2014. Among the largest metallurgical enterprises in Ukraine are Kryvorizhstal and the plants of the Metinvest Group.
Moldova increased steel production in December by 60.7 percent to 45 thousand, and for the whole year by 26.9 percent to 445 thousand tons. Uzbekistan reduced steel production by 2.4 percent during December and by 11.9 percent in 2015 to 637 thousand tons.
