May 27, 2014. Chelyabinsk hosted the 4th All-Russian Conference on Steel Pipe Production and Local Sales that was attended by top managers and heads of metallurgical and metal-trading enterprises. The conference participants spoke about the potential for the development of pipe industry in Russia and the CIS, the sector trends for the upcoming years, the options for increasing sales, price forecasts, and sales policies of the leading steel pipe manufacturers on local markets.

Alexander Akulinushkin, the leading expert from the Local Sales Group of Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) presented a report on his company’s cooperation with the pipe manufacturers. He said MMK’s share on the coiled stock market went up from 46% in January-April 2013 to 52% in January-April 2014. All in all, MMK delivered some 600,000,000 kg of produce to Russian pipe manufacturers in the first four months of 2014. In the second half of the year, MMK expects to keep on producing hot-rolled metal stock for the existing and upcoming projects on natural gas and oil pipeline construction.