In 2024, Ukrainian enterprises reduced their consumption of rolled metal products by 6.26% year-on-year to 3 million 288.4 thousand tons.
According to a press release issued by Ukrmetallurgprom on Monday, 1 million 235.4 thousand tons, or 37.57% of the domestic rolled metal consumption market, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in 2024, steelmakers produced 6.222 million tonnes of rolled steel (up 15.8% from 2023), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, approximately 4.169 million tonnes, or 67%, were exported. In 2023, the share of exports was 55.4% (2.985 million tons of total rolled steel production of 5.372 million tons).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries last year amounted to 46.05%, which is significantly higher than a year earlier – 42.04%. At the same time, the share of flat products in export deliveries in 2024 was almost at the level of 2023 – 40.27% and 39.22%, respectively. The share of long products last year was significantly lower than a year earlier, at 14.73% versus 17.69%.
The structure of imports in 2024 is characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (79.61% and 18.83%, respectively). Also in 2023, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant – 81.02% and 18.06%, respectively.
“In 2024, the domestic market capacity amounted to 3,288.4 thousand tons of rolled steel, of which 1,235.4 thousand tons, or 37.57%, were imported. In 2023, the domestic market capacity amounted to 3507.9 thousand tons, of which 1120.9 thousand tons, or 31.95%, were imported. Thus, there is a decrease in the domestic market capacity in 2024 compared to 2023 by 6.26% with a simultaneous increase in the share of the import component by 5.61%,” the press release states.
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled metal products in 2024 are the European Union (70.7%), Africa (10.1%), and other European countries (8.3%).
Other European countries (51.8%) are the leading metallurgical importers in 2024, followed by the EU-27 (27.7%) and Asian countries (19.2%).
As reported, Ukraine’s rolled steel market increased 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 market for these products.
