Ukrainian metal enterprises intend to increase steel smelting by 5.9% in May 2018 in comparison with the planned indicators of April, to 1.8 million tonnes from 1.7 million tonnes. According to the information of the Ukrmetallurgprom association following the results of the balance meeting, the plan for May also provides for the preservation of the total rolled steel production at the level of 1.6 million tonnes and the preservation of pig iron smelting at the level of 1.8 million tonnes.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in March, the metal companies produced 1.68 million tonnes of pig iron (103% on February), 1.71 million tonnes of steel (106%) and 1.51 million tonnes of rolled steel (107%).
In January-March 2018, 15.2 million tonnes of iron ore concentrate (100% compared to the same period in 2017), 7.96 million tonnes of agglomerate (108%), 5.3 million tonnes of pellets (107%), 2.71 million tonnes coke (105%), 5.25 million tonnes of pig iron (108%, taking into account work of the enterprises located in the government uncontrolled areas in January-February 2017, or 120% without them), 5.23 million tonnes of steel (97% and 105% respectively); 4.59 million tonnes of rolled metal (98% and 108%), 269,000 tonnes of pipe products (111%).
As of April 10, 19 out of 21 blast furnaces, 7 out of 9 open-hearth furnaces, 12 out of 16 converters, 7 out of 15 electric furnaces and 14 of 14 continuous casting machines were in operation.
In March 2018, 2.75 million tonnes of iron ore were supplied to the metal companies (110% on February 2018), in the first three months – 8.025 million tonnes (123% against the same period in 2017, taking into account activity of enterprises in the government uncontrolled areas in January-February-2017, or 137% without them), of which 8 million tonnes are of Ukrainian origin (124% compared to the same period in 2017), and 25,000 tonnes of imported iron ore (37%).
Exports of iron ore in March amounted to 2.8 million tonnes (104% compared to February 2018), in the first quarter – 8.6 million tonnes (87% compared to the same period in 2017).
In March 2018, scrap collecting companies procured 284,000 tonnes of scrap (102% on February 2018).
The demand of the metal complex’s demand for imported scrap metal in the first quarter was covered by 92%.
Kyivsky cardboard paper mill (Obukhiv, Kyiv region), a leader in Ukraine’s pulp and paper industry in terms of production and sales, produced goods worth UAH 1.323 billion in the first quarter of 2018, which was 30.2% up year-over-year (y-o-y).
Thus, production in the first three months of 2018 somewhat slowed compared to the same period last year (production growth in January was 36% and that in January-February was 34.3%), the UkrPapir association said.
Corrugated packaging output grew by 18%, to 55.8 million square meters, which was the second highest result among producers of corrugated packaging in Ukraine after Rubizhne cardboard packaging mill in Luhansk region (with Trypilsky packaging plant).
Production of cardboard increased by 35%, to 55,800 tonnes. Production of package cardboard alone grew by 45.7%, to 35,840 tonnes, while box cardboard output rose by 18.7%, to almost 19,000 tonnes.
However, production of base paper (for sanitary products) stood at 18,380 tonnes, which was 1.7% down y-o-y. Toilet paper output grew by 8%, to 103.9 million rolls.
Corrugated packaging output in total in Ukraine (including other producers) grew by 12% January through March 2018, to 246.56 million square meters, that of paper and cardboard increased by 16.4%, to 234,230 tonnes.
Kyivsky cardboard paper mill is one of the largest cardboard and paper producers in Europe. It employs almost 2,200 people. It sells produce to almost 700 companies in Ukraine, some CIS member states and the rest of the world.
In 2017, the mill saw a 14.8% rise in production from 2016, to UAH 4.850 billion.
Mariupol seaport (Donetsk region) in January-March 2018 increased cargo handling by 10.5%, year-over-year, to 1.333 million tonnes.
In the first three months of 2018, the port increased transshipment of exported cargo by 5.8%, to 1.26 million tonnes, imported freight by 4.3 times, to 56,000 tonnes, cabotage cargo by 6.5 times, to 16,300 tonnes, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said.
Yet, the port did not handle transit goods.
According to the types of cargo, the port did not handle liquid cargo, while dry bulk handling rose by 1.2%, to 239,000 tonnes, that of non-bulk goods increased by 17.8%, to 1.094 million tonnes.
Mariupol seaport is one of the largest ports of Ukraine. Its capacity allows handling more than 17 million tonnes of cargo per year. The port is open all year round for ships with a length of up to 240 meters and a draft of up to 8 meters. Its territory is 73.2 hectares, the length of the berthing line is 4.2 km.
Coal Energy S.A. (Luxembourg) with assets in Ukraine in March 2018 boosted coal production by 6.5 times, or by 10,997 tonnes, compared to the same period in 2017, to 13,007 tonnes, the company said on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
Compared to February 2018, production increased by 75.6%, or by 5,599 tonnes, it said.
As reported, Coal Energy includes ten coal mines, rock dumps processing facilities and objects for enrichment. The company’s business was significantly affected by hostilities in Donbas.
The Supervisory Board of PJSC Ukrtelecom is satisfied with the implementation of the company’s strategic development program adopted in 2014, the communications provider said. “A group of experts of a leading international consulting company has completed the evaluation of the implementation of Ukrtelecom’s strategic development program. Taking into account the impact of a number of macroeconomic and geopolitical factors, they confirmed that at the end of 2017 last year’s targets were achieved: the revenue target by 104%, EBITDA by 16.7%, that for the number of subscribers by 91%,” the company said in a statement.
According to the company, in February 2018, its supervisory board instructed international experts to conduct an independent assessment of its strategic development, comparing the results achieved with the target indicators of the program. At the same time, the communications provider has not disclosed the name of the auditing company.
According to the report, the operator outstripped the updated targets of 21 out of the 24 strategic initiatives, including topped the revenue target – by 4% (by UAH 6.654 billion in 2017), EBITDA by 67% (by UAH 1.854 billion), EBITDA margin by 11 percentage points (by 28.1 percentage points).
At the same time, in 2017, Ukrtelecom fulfilled its target for the total number of subscribers (telephony and broadband) by 91% (6.622 million).
The evaluation of the implementation of Ukrtelecom development strategy was carried out with regard to the impact of significant external factors, in particular the cessation of its activities in the country’s temporarily occupied territories; restrictions related to post-privatization obligations and litigations; debts to the company by state and local budgets (including for subsidized categories of the population); massive malicious damage to infrastructure (including theft of copper cable); regulatory restrictions in landline communication (tariffs falling behind inflation), as well as the impact of macroeconomic factors (including devaluation of the national currency, increase in the minimum wage) and market dynamics in general, the company said
“Despite the number of negative external factors limiting investment in development, the assessment confirmed that we are moving along the path outlined by the long-term development strategy. Ukrtelecom is developing as a national telecom operator and industry leader,” the company’s director, Yuri Kurmaz, was quoted as saying.
According to the consultants, Ukrtelecom’s share in the total revenues of the Ukrainian b2b communications market (Internet access, landline communications and data transmission services) by the end of 2017 was 35% (an 8% increase from 2013).
