Photo by: Bloomberg
Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium posted a near across-the-board narrowing of production volumes for the fourth quarter ended December 31, owing largely to a planned shutdown, which was timed to coincide with customer closures over the festive season.
The production of hot metal for the three months declined by 8% on the prior year’s comparable period to 161 203 t for the quarter, while the output of continuously cast blocks dropped 1% on that produced in the fourth quarter of 2012 to 163 698 t.
Similarly, the output of steel sections narrowed by 14% year-on-year to 44 745 t, while the production of steel coils narrowed by 10% to 30 680 t.
In contrast, the production of steel plates improved by 11% on the comparable prior year’s period to 41 065 t, largely on the back of a 12% boost in vanadium slag output, which increased from 1.48-million kilograms in the last three months of 2012 to 1.66-million kilograms for the period under review.
As a result, ferrovanadium production for the quarter jumped 54%, from 855 347 kg in the fourth quarter of 2012 to 1.32-million kilograms for the fourth quarter of 2013.
Meanwhile, despite domestic steel prices increasing over the quarter, Evraz said in a statement on Wednesday that the total average steel price reduced owing to higher export volumes at lower prices.
The producer realised an average steel price of R6 703/t for the quarter – a 6% improvement on the R6 319/t posted for the fourth quarter of 2012.