OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 February 2009 Vyksa Steel Works (VSW, Nizhni Novgorod Region), part of United Metallurgical Company (OMK), reported its operating results for January 2009.

VSW manufactured 64 675 tonnes of large-diameter pipes (LDP), which is 32.6% more than in January 2008 (48,793 tonnes). Total pipe output was 95,944 tonnes, which is 6.7% less than in the corresponding period in 2008 (102,879 tonnes).

In January, VSW manufactured 18,642 railroad wheels (as compared with 73,110 railroad wheels produced in January 2008).

"Due to the economic crisis, railroad cargo transportation in Russia dropped by 50%, which adversely affected rolling-stock repair operations," said VSW Executive Director Vladimir Kochetkov. Given the drop in demand on the part of our main customer Russian Railways, repair companies, and carbuilders, we are extending our wheel export operations."

In the first month of 2009, the Company produced 559.6 tonnes of products. As compared with January 2008, Trubodetal’s output decreased by 1,018.8 tonnes.