Following the increase in shipment volumes of products in 3 quarter of 2009 by 15% compared with 2 blocks, TMK continued to increase shipments in the 4 th quarter, consumers shipped 874 tons of pipe products, which is 22% more than in the previous quarter, according to Company reports. This year TMK has reduced shipments of pipe production by 13% to 2.792 million tons. According to the company, this figure, "indicative of the relative stability of pipe business to crises.

Shipment of seamless pipes in the 4 th quarter grew by 21% for the year decreased by 16%. Shipment of welded pipes in the final quarter of last year rose 24% (per year reduction of 10%).

volume growth in the 4 th quarter was due mainly to increased demand for OCTG and line pipe in the main markets trims, as well as implementing a number of large-scale projects of trunk pipelines in Russia. At the same time, there was a slight improvement in terms of demand from Russia"s engineering sector and construction companies, noted in the announcement of the company. Shipments continued to grow in the 4 quarter TMK allowed to cover a significant part of the fall shipments in 1 half of 2009, reducing the decrease in shipments for 2008.

Based on current market trends and expectations of further development of the situation on the market, the company expects sales in 2010 will exceed the level of 2008.

The shipments of OCTG and line pipe continued to grow in the 4 th quarter of 2009 and reached 498 thousand tons, a 32% increase compared to 3 quarters in which the Company shipped 377 tonnes of consumers OCTG and line pipe. These changes in the company connects with the increasing demand from key buyers of oil and gas industry, caused by the increase in oil production in the 4 th quarter, as well as seasonal factors.

In 2009, TMK increased its share of Russia"s market of seamless OCTG segment by 9% to 69%, which was due to the completion of major investment projects and expansion of product development, noted in the announcement of the company.

In the 2 half of 2009 Russia buyers pipe production showed a more stable demand, as companies from other regions of the world, which was caused by the development of strategic relationships with buyers, increase in drilling and limited the influence of competition from Chinese manufacturers in Russia market. In general, TMK expects an increase in demand for OCTG products in Russia and in 2010 due to projected growth in the investment budgets of the largest Russian oil and gas companies and an increase in drilling activities on existing and new fields. The published plans to increase investment in 2010 to 15-20% of large companies such as Gazprom, Lukoil, Rosneft and TNK-BP, the Company"s estimates, lead to increased shipments of TMK in the address data of consumers because the company is their main supplier of pipe products.

After a significant decline in shipments in the first half, in the 4 th quarter of TMK IPSCO increased its shipments by 35% compared with 3 blocks to 129 tonnes, due to increased demand from oil and gas companies, particularly in the production of OCTG. According to Baker Hughes, the number of active rigs in the U.S. increased from a minimum of 876 in June 2009. 1248 to 15 January 2010. Furthermore, continued to decrease the level of stocks OCTG distributors in the United States: the current total production in the warehouses is about 9 months of consumption, compared with more than 15 months of inventory in March 2009.

Despite the economic downturn, the demand for TMK pipe with connections "Premium" class continues to remain high due to gas companies using the inclined and horizontal drilling, and which are important buyers of pipes with a family of compounds "ULTRA" in North America, says the message TMK. At the end of 2009 the company increased its market share in the segment joints of class "Premium" up to 30% on the market of drilling shale gas fields (gas shales) in the United States. Prices for natural gas in the U.S. in the 4 th quarter recovering after reaching its minimum in September that will positively affect the demand for products TMK IPSCO. Strong demand for products with premium connections TMK FMC and GF in Russia is supported by the supply of deposits in Western and Eastern Siberia, including the key project "Rosneft - Vankor field.

Demand for large diameter pipes (LDP) has steadily increased, from May 2009 due to implementation of major pipeline projects being implemented by Gazprom (the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok and repair-Gryazovets) and Transneft (ESPO-2 and BTS - 2). From 2 quarter 2009 shipments are also growing due to the LDP output at full capacity welded mill LDP to VTZ. Volume shipments of the LDP, amounting to 19 thousand tons in 1 quarter and 70 thousand tons in the 2 and 3 quarters, continued to increase and amounted to more than 150 thousand tons in the 4 quarter of 2009. The company has a significant amount of confirmed orders for the LDP to 2 half of 2010. At the end of December 2009 the company completed the certification issued by longitudinal LDP to meet the standard Det Norske Veritas (DNV) for underwater pipelines, which extends the company"s involvement in projects for the laying of marine sites of large-scale pipeline projects. As a result, TMK expects volume shipments of the LDP will increase in 2010, more than half.

Average prices for the products TMK remained generally stable in the second half of 2009, after a significant reduction in 1 half of the year, the company said. Such heterogeneous dynamics in different geographical regions. Prices of tubular goods in the United States has only recently begun to stabilize and show modest growth compared with the minimum performance last year. The company expects a gradual recovery in prices in Russia and the United States, in 2010, supported by continued growth in demand and an increase in the degree of loading capacity of industry. TMK also expects some recovery in prices in Europe, supported by similar market dynamics.
The cost per ton of shipped products TMK remained generally stable in the second half of 2009 compared to 1 semester. In general, we observed a slight increase in prices for various raw materials (excluding the price of steel billets, which remained approximately at the same level) with the beginning of 2009. Based on current trends in commodity prices and the projected changes in key articles of the costs, the company expects that in 2010 will improve the profitability of products shipped. Administrative and general expenses in the 2 half of 2009 and 2010 will remain at about the level of 1 half of 2009, predicts TMK.
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