OREANDA-NEWS. November 20, 2008. The 9 months net profit of the group of companies (according to IFRS*) has increased by 4.8 times compared with the same period in 2007, reaching US73 million, reported the press-centre of Severstal-Metiz.

Revenue increased by 28.7 per cent, from US 754.4 million in 2007 to US 970.7 million in 2008. EBITDA was US 119 million; 121.6 per cent higher.

According to Olga Naumova, the CEO of the group of companies, ‘Severstal-metiz showed good results in the 9 months due to stable demand for wire and wire products in our key markets especially in the 1st half of the year. We even saw improvement in demand for some products’.

Among other factors contributing to the result were increases in selling prices, cost reductions, and an increase in the share of high value added products in the company’s portfolio.

‘From the 3rd quarter of the year we have experienced reductions in demand in, automotive, construction and other industrial sectors which are important to the company. Our results today are influenced not only by traditional seasonality but also by the financial crisis which has led to reduced availability of funds among end consumers’, – continues Olga Naumova.

In her opinion, demand will not recover until at least the end of the year. ‘The current situation is a bit worse than the usual seasonal reduction in demand we see. However, on the positive side, this gives us development opportunities to strengthen our relationships with key customers, to offer comprehensive supply solutions in the market, to reduce costs and implement investment projects’, –  summarizes Olga Naumova.

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* Excludes the results of Redaelli Tecna S.p.A., the Italian company, purchased on July, 31.