Severstal North America saw a 21% quarter-on-quarter rise in production in the first three months of 2012 due to increased output at its Columbus mill in Mississippi, according to a results statement published on Friday April 27.

Production levels went up to 489,489 tonnes from 404,765 in the fourth quarter of 2011.

“The Columbus mill reached its design capacity [of 3.4 million tpy],” a Severstal spokesman told Metal Bulletin. “The mill’s current utilisation rate is around 80%, while the Dearborn mill [in Michigan] is almost fully utilised.”

Sales volumes in the first quarter of 2012 hit 1.22 million tonnes, up by 19% from 1.02 million tonnes in the previous three months.

The division’s average sales price for rolled products was $869 per tonne in the first quarter of 2012, up by 6% from $822 in the last quarter of 2011.

Severstal North America saw a 17% rise in first-quarter sales volumes for hot rolled strip and plate to 695,700 tonnes, up from 596,523 tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2011.

On the same comparison, sales volumes for cold rolled sheet were 147,386 tonnes, up by 12% from 131,302 tonnes; and for galvanized and metallic coated sheet, sales totalled 377,463 tonnes, up by 28% from 295,113 tonnes.

Stacy Irish 
sirish@metalbulletin.com
Twitter: @stacyirish_mb