According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine, Ukraine in January-April 2024 increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products – by 26.6% to $136.761 million (in April – $38.235 million). Exports of aluminum and aluminum products for the first four months of 2024 increased by 5% compared to the comparable period a year earlier – to $33.008 million (in April – $9.608 million).
In addition, Ukraine’s imports of aluminum and aluminum products increased by 7.7% to $366.463 million in 2023.
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products last year increased by 0.7% compared to 2022 – to $97.616 million. In addition, Ukraine in 2022 reduced imports of aluminum and aluminum products – by 33.4%, to $340.398 million.
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products in 2022 decreased by 42.7% compared to 2021 – to $96.972 million.
Aluminum is widely used as a structural material. The main advantages of aluminum in this capacity are its lightness, pliability for stamping, corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, and the non-poisonous nature of its compounds. In particular, these properties have made aluminum extremely popular in the production of kitchen utensils, aluminum foil in the food industry, and for packaging. The first three properties have also made aluminum a major raw material in the aviation and aerospace industries (recently displaced by composites, primarily carbon fiber). After construction and production of packaging – aluminum cans and foil – the largest industry-consumer of the metal is the energy sector.
Ukrainian enterprises in January-April 2024, according to customs statistics, increased imports of nickel and products by 60.1% compared to the same period of 2023 – up to $8.484 million (in April – $787 thousand million).
Ukraine in 2023 reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 74.2% y-o-y in 2022 – to $15.391 mln. Ukraine in 2022 reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 49.9% y-o-y in 2021 – to $59.754 mln.
The main area of nickel application is metallurgy. It is used in the production of high-alloy stainless steels. By adding nickel to the iron melt, metallurgists obtain strong and ductile alloys that are highly resistant to corrosion and high temperatures.
One of the largest grain market operators in Ukraine, Nibulon JV LLC (Mykolaiv), transshipped 434 thousand tons of corn and wheat in April and returned to pre-war levels, the grain trader’s press service reported on Facebook.
“Despite the devastating damage and blockade of the Mykolaiv port, Nibulon demonstrates a recovery in exports in 2022-2024 and regains market share. This becomes possible due to the development of alternative channels through the Danube port and the effective use of the capabilities of the Black Sea ports,” the agricultural holding said.
According to the report, Nibulon exported 2.4 million tons of agricultural products in the first nine months of the 2023-2024 marketing year (MY), despite the blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports. Its current share through the Danube ports in the first quarter of 2024 was in the range of 20-30%. The agricultural holding forecasts annual export volumes in 2023/24 MY at 3.2-3.4 mln tons.
“So far, the work of Nibulon’s logistics infrastructure is divided between two channels. After the work of the Black Sea ports resumed thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a significant part of the grain volumes we exported through the ‘river’ was reoriented to the ‘big water’. At the same time, the Danube continues to play a key role for our exports: the share of this channel in the sales structure is 70%,” said Volodymyr Slavinsky, Nibulon’s trading director, as quoted by the press service.
The grain trader considers the achieved results to be its undisputed victory, as it works to connect Ukrainian farmers with international markets and to maintain global food security.
JV Nibulon LLC was established in 1991. Prior to the Russian military invasion, the grain trader had 27 transshipment terminals and crop reception complexes, capacity for simultaneous storage of 2.25 million tons of agricultural products, a fleet of 83 vessels (including 23 tugs), and owned the Mykolaiv Shipyard.
“Before the war, Nibulon cultivated 82 thousand hectares of land in 12 regions of Ukraine and exported agricultural products to more than 70 countries. In 2021, the grain trader exported the highest ever 5.64 million tons of agricultural products, reaching record volumes of supplies to foreign markets in August – 0.7 million tons, in the fourth quarter – 1.88 million tons, and in the second half of the year – 3.71 million tons.
Nibulon’s losses due to Russia’s full-scale military invasion in 2022 exceeded $416 million.
Currently, the grain trader is operating at 32% of capacity, has created a special unit to clear agricultural land of mines, and was forced to move its headquarters from Mykolaiv to Kyiv.
In January-April, Trypillia Packaging Plant (TUP, Ukrainka, Kyiv region), a subsidiary of Rubizhne Cardboard and Packaging Plant, which has stopped operations in Luhansk region, increased its corrugated packaging output by 24.7% year-on-year to 53.4 million square meters in January-April.
According to statistics provided to Interfax-Ukraine by UkrPapir Association, the mill has thus slightly accelerated the growth rate of corrugated packaging output compared to the same period last year – in January-March it was 20.8%, and in January-February it was 12.3%.
The plant consistently ranks second in corrugated packaging production after Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill (73.1 million square meters).
In particular, in April, TUK increased its corrugated packaging production by 37% year-on-year and by 3.2% year-on-year to 14 million square meters.
In monetary terms, TUK’s production increased by 9% over the four months to UAH 872.4 million.
In January-April, the major companies in the industry that provided data to Ukrpapir increased production of cardboard boxes by 21.6% to 187.4 million square meters.
As reported, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Rubizhne Pulp and Paper Mill together with TUK were the market leaders in the corrugated packaging market in Ukraine.
After the destruction, the plant in Rubizhne shut down, and the legal entity Rubizhne CTC was re-registered in Kyiv.
TUC produces a wide range of corrugated cardboard products for food, industrial goods, and chemicals. Among its customers are Roshen, Coca-Cola, MHP agricultural holding, and Lactalis Group.
In 2023, Trypillia Paper Mill increased its sales volume by 13.7% compared to 2022, to UAH 2 billion 480 million, while corrugated packaging production increased by 17.9% to 145.8 million square meters.
Forecast of unemployment rate in Ukraine according to methodology of international labor organization until 2025
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
The shareholders of Ukrainian Fire Insurance Company (Kyiv) at a meeting on May 7 decided to allocate UAH 25.6 million for dividends, according to the company’s information posted in the NSSMC system.
The amount of dividends per share is UAH 1.6.
As reported, the company planned to allocate the retained earnings of “UPSK” for 2022 to pay dividends.
“UPSC” PrJSC was registered in 1993. It specializes, in particular, in insurance of motor vehicles, financial risks, tourists, property, cargo and luggage.
The insurer is a member of the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine and holds 36 insurance licenses: 20 for voluntary insurance and 16 for compulsory insurance.
The authorized capital of the insurer is UAH 100 million.
