OREANDA-NEWS.  January 17, 2012.  EVRAZ plc (LSE: EVR) and Evraz Group S.A. (LSE: EVRZ) (together referred to as “EVRAZ”) today released its operational results for the fourth quarter of 2011 and full year 2011.

 FY 2011 HIGHLIGHTS:
Crude steel production grew by 3% compared to FY2010 mainly due to an increase in volumes in the Czech Republic, resulting from the resolution of a pricing dispute with a supplier of hot metal while other major steelmaking assets continued to operate at full capacity
Steel product mix shifted further in favour of finished goods
Coking coal production decreased by 16% due to several longwall repositionings and temporary stoppages of some mines for additional implementation of safety equipment and procedures
Prices for steel products and coking coal improved compared to the previous year.

Q4 2011 HIGHLIGHTS:
Crude steel volumes increased by 3% quarter-on-quarter due to completion of scheduled maintenance in Q3 on the back of full utilisation of major steelmaking assets
Share of semi-finished steel increased compared to Q3 due to seasonally lower demand for finished steel in Russia
Coking coal production gained momentum in Q4 2011 after most of the issues negatively affecting performance of the first three quarters of 2011 were resolved
Prices for steel products and coking coal contracted compared to Q3 reflecting negative seasonality and market volatility.