In January-March of this year, ferrous scrap enterprises increased exports of strategic raw materials for steelmaking companies by 32% year-on-year to 80.8 thousand tons.
According to the Ukrainian Association of Secondary Metals (UAVtormet), scrap collectors increased scrap supplies to Ukrainian steelmakers by 16.4% to 401 thousand tons in the period under review, up from 1Q2024.
Technological reserves of ferrous scrap at the enterprises were estimated at 20-25 thousand tons at the end of the first quarter. At the same time, the estimated technological needs of metallurgists for this raw material, according to the Association, are fully met, with an excess of 2.5-7.5%.
In January-March, the volume of ferrous scrap procurement increased by 18.5% to 505.9 thousand tons. According to UVTORMET, this trend is due to the high business activity of metallurgical and foundry enterprises, as well as the active export activities of Ukrainian scrap companies.
“In January-March 2025, there was a further increase in imports of ferrous metals to Ukraine, which amounted to 26.9% (about 336.4 thousand tons of steel products were imported). The main commodity items were coated flat products (≈ 32.9%), hot-rolled flat products (≈ 29.4%) and cold-rolled flat products (≈ 9.8%). The main volumes of steel products were imported from Turkey, Poland and China,” the report states.
Imports of scrap in Q1-2025 amounted to 0.03 thousand tons, in Q1-2024 – 0.25 thousand tons.
In addition, it is stated that steel production in the first quarter of this year amounted to 1.73 million tons, which is 2.7% more than in the same period last year.
As reported, scrap collectors increased scrap exports by 60.6% in 2024 compared to 2023, to 293.1 thousand tons (in 2023, exports amounted to 182.5 thousand tons, in 2022 – 53.6 thousand tons). Last year, they increased scrap supplies to Ukrainian steelmakers by 29.8% year-on-year to 1.343 million tons. Last year, the volume of ferrous scrap procurement increased by 37% to 1.749 million tons. Scrap imports amounted to 1.2 thousand tons in 2024 and 1.1 thousand tons in 2023.
Last year, steel production totaled 7.575 million tons, up 21.6% year-on-year.
According to the forecast, Ukraine will produce 6.5-6.8 million tons of steel in 2025 (6.228 million tons in 2023 and 6.263 million tons in 2022) and 1.450-1.650 million tons of scrap metal (1,277.3 thousand tons in 2023 and 996.7 thousand tons in 2022). Steelmakers are also expected to consume 1.1-1.2 million tons of scrap (1 million 34.7 thousand tons in 2023 and 895.7 thousand tons in 2022), export 300-350 thousand tons of scrap (182.5 thousand tons in 2023 and 53.6 thousand tons in 2022), increasing the export of strategic raw materials for steelmakers. Scrap imports are expected to reach 1.5-3 thousand tons.
