Analysts Association «Steels» summed up the activities of the stainless steel of the Russian market in April and published statistics on the state of affairs in the industry over the whole period from the beginning of the year. According to these data, in the last 4 months the total domestic production of corrosion-resistant varieties of metal was 37,650 tonnes, which is 18% more than during the same time period in 2012. Experts emphasize that figure is a new record for this sector of the Russian metallurgy.

The main increase — according to a report of the Association — took place during the reporting period for products with low added value — on the amount of primary billet release from stainless steel alloys, which, in comparison with last year's figures, increased by 138.5%. The rest of the products showed less dynamic set speed: flat-rolled products from corrosion-resistant metal grades gained + 16.5%, electric-pipe rolling production increased by 9.5%, according to data of seamless stainless pipe and wire increased by slightly more than 8.5% and for long products — 6% level.

Meanwhile, the above momentum indicators — according to the experts «Special steels» — should not be taken as an indicator of positive changes in the market. Experts say that the growth in stainless steel production in Russia is not the response of producers to increase consumer demand. On the contrary, during the period buying activity declined slightly in the market, resulting in a surplus of the metal is not sold on to end-users, but only replenished stocks trading platforms.

Also in the reports of the Association «Steels» I mean that in the I quarter of this year (about the same proportion as the volume of production of stainless steel) metal import figures increased this category (+ 15.7% against last year's figures — 79.08 thousand tons.). It also played a key role on the import statistics of the primary workpiece (+ 78%), and indicators for electric-welded pipes, stainless steel flat and long products of corrosion-resistant alloys increased with respect to the 22.6% of 2012 data, 19.3% and 7%, respectively. In parallel with this, the quantity imported into the country of seamless pipes decreased by 22%, and imports of stainless wire decreased by 18%.