Business news from Ukraine

“Metinvest” cuts steel output by 69% in 2022

19 February , 2023  

Metinvest in 2022 reduced steel production by 69% year-on-year to 2.918 mln t, parent company Metinvest B.V. said in a press release.
According to it, the production of pig iron declined by 72% to 2.743 million tons, coke – by 64% to 1.653 million tons, including merchant coke – by 49% to 811 thousand tons.
At the same time, it is specified that in connection with the beginning of a large-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, since 24 February 2022, Metinvest decided to suspend the production activities of a number of its enterprises in Mariupol, Avdiivka and Zaporizhia, including Azovstal, Illich Iron and Steel, Avdiivka Coke and Zaporizka Coke. Later, the group’s Zaporizhia companies resumed production. However, the company’s enterprises in Mariupol and Avdeevka suffered as a result of hostilities, while Mariupol is currently temporarily occupied.
It is also noted that Ukrainian enterprises of the group, except those located in Mariupol and Avdeevka, continue to operate at different levels of utilization, taking into account security factors, availability of electricity supply, as well as logistical and economic factors.
In 2022, production of commercial semi-finished products decreased by 70% to 1.022 mln tons, due to a significant decrease in the production of liquid pig iron. This was partially offset by the consolidation of commercial billet production volumes at Kametstal’s facilities.
In 2022, production of finished products decreased by 62% to 2.777 million tonnes. The production of flat products decreased by 4.247 million tonnes to 1.731 million tonnes due to the stoppage at the Mariupol mills, and the lack of a stable supply of slabs for Italian rolling mills in the first half of the reporting year. Production of long products decreased by 71,000 tonnes, to 1.018 million tonnes, due to stoppages at Azovstal from the end of February 2022 and lower production at Promet Steel due to irregular intragroup supplies of billets.
This, in turn, was partially offset by consolidation of production volumes at Kametstal’s facilities. At the same time, production of rails and pipes decreased by 38 and 100 thousand tons to 10 and 18 thousand tons, respectively, as the products were produced at Mariupol.
In 2022, coke output decreased by 64% to 1.653 mln tons.
“Last year, Metinvest also reduced the production of total iron ore concentrate (iron ore concentrate) by 66% year-on-year to 10.712 million tons, the output of marketable iron ore products decreased by 55% to 7.903 million tons, including the volume of marketable concentrate – by 60% to 4.718 million tons, and the volume of marketable pellets – by 45% to 3.185 million tons.
In 2022, the production of coal concentrate by the group decreased by 11% to 4.959 million tons, mainly due to the lack of qualified personnel at its coal assets and deteriorating geological conditions at United Coal Company (USA) mines.
As reported, Metinvest in 2021 increased the steel output by 15% compared to 2020 – up to 9.533 million tons, iron – also by 15%, to 9.709 million tons, but reduced the total production of coke by 5% to 4.551 million tons. In 2021, the Group increased the total production of iron ore concentrate by 3% to 31.341 million tons, the production of pellets by 18% to 5.811 million tons and the total production of coking coal concentrate by 92% to 5.542 million tons.
“Metinvest consists of mining and metallurgical enterprises located in Ukraine, Europe and the USA.
The major shareholders of Metinvest are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%) that jointly manage the company.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest group.

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