Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), a leading LSE-listed Russian steel producer, has released a trading update for the third quarter of 2011.

Its companies’ steel production fell 3.6% quarter on quarter, to 2.9mn metric tons. The group’s steelmaking facilities were running at about 90% of their capacity, including 100% at the Lipetsk plant, over 50% at the Long Products Division, and approximately 80% at NLMK’s international divisions.

The group’s total sales amounted to 3.4mn metric tons, up 10.5% q-o-q and 12.3% y-o-y, largely due to the consolidation of the rolling assets of former Steel Invest and Finance, NLMK’s joint venture with Duferco Group, in the E.U. and the United States starting from July 1, 2011.

The same factor had a noticeable impact on third-quarter sales: up 64% for flats and down 50% for slabs.

Steel output at the group’s main production facility in Lipetsk grew 2% quarter on quarter, to 2.4mn metric tons.