In January-June of this year, Ukrainian enterprises increased their consumption of rolled metal products by 7.73% year-on-year to 1 million 736.4 thousand tons.
According to a press release issued by Ukrmetallurgprom on Monday, 592.4 thousand tons, or 34.12% of the domestic rolled metal consumption market, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in January-June 2024, steel companies produced 3.140 million tons of rolled metal products (132.3% compared to the same period in 2023), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, about 1.996 million tons, or 63.6%, were exported. In January-June 2023, the share of exports amounted to 52.9% (1.257 million tons with a total production of 2.374 million tons of rolled steel).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in the first half of 2024 was 45.39%, which is the same as in January-June 2023 (45.90%). The share of flat products in export deliveries in January-June 2024 is significantly higher than in the same period of 2023 (41.73% and 33.65%, respectively). The share of long products is significantly lower than in January-June 2023 (12.88% in 2024 vs. 20.45% in 2023).
“In the first six months of 2024, the domestic market capacity amounted to 1 million 736.4 thousand tons of rolled steel, of which 592.4 thousand tons, or 34.12%, were imported. In January-June 2023, the domestic market capacity amounted to 1 million 611.8 thousand tons, of which 494.8 thousand tons, or 30.17%, were imported. Thus, in the first six months of 2024, there was an increase in the domestic market capacity compared to the first six months of 2023 – by 7.73%, with a simultaneous increase in the share of the import component by 3.42%,” the press release states.
The structure of imports for the first six months of 2024 is still characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (80.06% and 18.30%, respectively); in January-June 2023, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant (78.88% and 20.09%, respectively).
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled steel products in January-June 2024 were the European Union (77.1%), the rest of Europe (6.9%) and Africa (6.4%).
Among metallurgical importers in January-June 2024, the first place was taken by other European countries (46.5%), the second by the EU-27 (31%), and the third by Asian countries (20.5%).
As reported, Ukraine’s rolled steel market grew 2.19 times in 2023 compared to 2022, to 3 million 505.6 thousand tons. The company imported 1 million 118.6 thousand tons, or 31.91% of the domestic rolled metal consumption market.
