Nikopol-based seamless stainless steel pipe manufacturer Centravis increased its production to 12.2 thousand tons in 2023, up 12% year-on-year. However, the production situation may deteriorate if the government does not start paying back VAT arrears.
Almost all the products were exported. In total, in 2023, the company exported seamless stainless steel pipes to 38 countries. Most of them were shipped to Germany, Italy, and the United States.
The EU countries were in the highest demand, followed by the US market, and then the Asian and Middle Eastern markets. In particular, Centravis has fulfilled orders for companies from Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, Oman, the UAE, etc.
“In 2023, we realized that the war could last for a long time and we must be prepared for it. There is no point in postponing something that will make your product better today. Similarly, you should not refuse to enter new markets or stop working with your team. We can’t just stand still and try to get through these difficult days, because we have no idea what the timeframe of the war is. Therefore, we are moving forward, improving our products, working with new projects and clients. I believe that our team passed the year 2023 with dignity,” said Yuriy Atanasov, CEO of Centravis.
Another important achievement of the past year was the opening of a new production facility in Uzhhorod. It specializes in tool pipes for the world’s leading automotive brands (Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet). The total investment amounted to over UAH 50 million. The new plant employs about 100 people, and in 2024 it is planned to expand and build the second stage.
At the same time, there is a big problem that hinders the company as much as the shelling by Russian troops. It is the VAT refund.
“The state’s debt to the company is over €10 million. It has never been like this in 30 years of operation. We won the courts, but a court decision cannot pay salaries and buy raw materials. I hope this issue will be resolved soon, as it is difficult for us to operate under the double pressure of the war and VAT arrears,” emphasized Yuriy Atanasov.
According to Centravis representatives, in 2023, the company took part in a number of notable projects. These include a project to produce hydrogen-powered cars in the EU, construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), development of onshore oil and gas wells in the United States, and construction of a new power plant in Alabama (USA). The company also represented the Ukrainian industry at the Adipec international exhibition in Abu Dhabi with its own exposition.
Centravis is currently one of the world’s ten largest producers of seamless stainless steel pipes. The company has production facilities in the cities of Nikopol and Uzhhorod, as well as sales offices in countries such as the United States, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates, and cooperates with Benteler Automotive, Buhlmann Group, Webco, and others – with various companies on different continents.
Last year, Centravis was ranked among the top 200 leaders in the Ukrainian economy.
In January this year, Ukraine increased exports of semi-finished carbon steel products in physical terms by 5.8 times compared to the same period last year, up to 222.2 thousand tons from 38.341 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Friday, exports of carbon steel semi-finished products increased 5 times in monetary terms to $105.491 million from $20.897 million.
The main exports were to Bulgaria (37.07% of supplies in monetary terms), Poland (11.91%) and Colombia (11.15%).
In January 2024, Ukraine did not import semi-finished products, as in January 2023.
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine reduced exports of carbon steel semi-finished products in physical terms by 36.7% compared to 2022, to 1 million 203.454 thousand tons, while exports in monetary terms decreased by 48.9% to $608.516 million. The main exports were made to Bulgaria (36.66% of supplies in monetary terms), Poland (23.01%), and Italy (9.60%).
In addition, in 2023, Ukraine imported 96 tons of semi-finished products from China (98.26%) and Turkey (1.74%) worth $172 thousand.
In 2022, Ukraine decreased exports of carbon steel semi-finished products by 72% year-on-year to 1 million 899.729 thousand tons in physical terms and by 70.9% in monetary terms to $1 billion 191.279 million. The main exports were made to Bulgaria (26.55% of supplies in monetary terms), Poland (13.97%) and Italy (12.13%).
In addition, Ukraine imported 5,558 thousand tons of similar products in 2022, which is 85.7% less than in 2021. In monetary terms, imports decreased by 86% to $3.634 million. Imports were carried out from the Russian Federation (96.92% of supplies before the war), China (1.84%), and Romania (1.21%).
Tobacco concern Philip Morris International has increased shipments of finished products in Ukraine by 8.4% in 2023 compared to 2022, the company said in a press release.
“For 2023, our finished product shipments in Ukraine increased by 8.4%. This figure includes both imported and locally produced products. The increase in shipments occurred as part of our strategy to regain market share, which we temporarily lost due to the war and the forced shutdown of our factory in Kharkiv region,” the company’s press service quoted Philip Morris’ CFO in Ukraine Sergey Kalnoochenko as saying.
According to the published financial report of the company, in the fourth quarter of 2023 PMI increased total shipments of cigarettes and tobacco products for electric heating in Ukraine by 14.9% compared to the same period of 2022.
In total, total finished goods shipments in the company’s European region, which includes Ukraine, increased 2.6% to 53.6 billion cigarettes in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the fourth quarter of the prior year, primarily driven by markets in Poland (up 10.6%), Italy (up 4.0%) and Ukraine (up 14.9%), partially offset by lower shipments in France (down 13.7%) and Germany (down 6.2%).
In total, Philip Morris International’s 2023 revenue increased 10.7% to $35.2 billion compared to 2022.
According to the report, the total number of adult IQOS users globally at the end of 2023 was estimated at approximately 28.6 million, an increase of 3.7 million from December 2022.
Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company that has been operating in the Ukrainian market since 1994. Over 30 years of work, the company has invested more than $700 mln in the Ukrainian economy.
Philip Morris in Ukraine has suspended the operation of its factory in Kharkiv region since February 24, 2022. Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the company has secured a steady supply of its products to Ukraine through imports from 8 PMI factories and a temporary partnership with another international manufacturer in Ukraine.
Philip Morris plans to launch a new factory in Lviv region in the second quarter of 2024 with an investment of $30 mln.
In 2023, the company paid more than UAH 30 bln of taxes to budgets of different levels in Ukraine.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal says that Ukraine and Japan have signed 56 intergovernmental agreements, memorandums, and arrangements between businesses and local authorities at the Economic Development and Recovery Conference.
“56 documents were signed by representatives of Ukraine and Japan at the Economic Development and Recovery Conference in Tokyo! Among them are intergovernmental agreements, memoranda, and agreements between businesses and local authorities,” Shmyhal wrote on his Telegram channel.
In particular, an intergovernmental convention on the avoidance of double taxation was signed; more than a dozen agreements to support Ukraine’s recovery with powerful Japanese organizations (JICA, JETRO, the NEXI Export Credit Agency and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation); grant agreements for the implementation of recovery programs, as well as a number of documents between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine and Japanese companies providing Ukraine with various agricultural machinery and equipment; an intergovernmental memorandum on supporting Ukraine’s recovery with the
“Naftogaz agreed on a wind energy project; the Ukrainian gas transportation system operator signed a memorandum on preparations for the modernization of gas compressor stations. According to the Prime Minister, documents were also signed in the fields of energy, telecommunications, infrastructure construction, and ecology.
“Japan has already shown leadership in financial support for Ukraine. Now Japan should become one of the leaders of Ukraine’s recovery and investment in our economy,” Shmyhal summarized.
Germany will provide military aid to Ukraine in the amount of EUR7.1 billion in 2024, including a EUR1.1 billion aid package, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a press conference in Berlin on Friday.
“In total, Germany has allocated or committed EUR28 billion for military aid,” he added.
Today, Scholz noted, “we are preparing a new level – EUR 1.1 billion. This includes 36 armored howitzers and wheeled howitzers from industrial stocks, 120 thousand pieces of ammunition, as well as two Skynex systems and missiles for IRIS-T,” Scholz said.
According to him, the signed agreement on military cooperation establishes that Germany will continue to support an independent Ukraine that is defending itself against Russian aggression.
Germany, Scholz said, “will support Ukrainian partners in building modern, defensible armed forces in order to prevent any future Russian aggression.” According to him, “today’s agreement also covers assistance in the civilian sphere, such as demining, energy infrastructure in Ukraine and reconstruction.”
In turn, Scholz noted, Ukraine assumes responsibility for continuing reforms leading to the country’s accession to the EU. “I have to be clear: of course, we all want this war to end as soon as possible. But, unfortunately, we see that Russia is not ready for a lasting and just peace,” the Chancellor said.
He also appealed to the US Congress to “make the decisions that Ukraine needs now to provide financial and military support.”
According to the website of the German Ministry of Defense, on Friday the federal government prepared another package of military support for Ukraine worth EUR1.13 billion.
It includes 18 Panzerhaubitzen-2000 self-propelled howitzers (to be delivered in 2026-2027, including training, spare parts and ammunition, in addition to the 14 already planned), 18 RCH 155 wheeled howitzers (to be delivered in 2025-2027 in addition to the 18 planned), 120,000 rounds of 122 mm artillery ammunition (to be delivered in 2024), a second SkyNex air defense system (to be delivered in 2025), and 100 more IRIS-T SLS missiles (in addition to the previously planned).
“Our Security Agreement with Ukraine is historic. For the first time in its history, the Federal Republic acts as a guarantor state. Today’s signing is a clear sign that Germany is fulfilling its increased security commitments in Europe. Our “Munich package” worth more than EUR 1 billion confirms our ongoing military support for Ukraine and shows that we are fulfilling our promise to stand by our Ukrainian partners in their fight against Russian aggression,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
How much money the 3 largest foundations raised last year
People donated UAH 18.75 billion to the three largest foundations last year. This amount is almost half as much as in 2022. The number of donors increased in the second half of the year. It was the end of the year when several platforms reached record amounts of money. This is evidenced by data from United 24, Come Back Alive, and the Shelter Fund.
For comparison, in 2022, the total amount of donations reached a record 34.38 billion UAH. Of this amount, 2/3 was raised in the first six months – UAH 24 billion, and the remaining UAH 10.5 billion was donated in the second half of the year.
Where did people donate the most money?
United 24 became the leader among charitable organizations in 2023. The foundation managed to raise almost 2/3 of the total amount – UAH 12.07 billion. The peak of donations was in December last year – UAH 3.55 billion or 29%. This is a record amount for a month since the foundation’s inception.
United 24 works in 5 areas:
● the needs of the Armed Forces – UAH 10.81 billion (90%);
Healthcare – UAH 0.76 billion (6%)
Restoration of destroyed property and infrastructure – UAH 0.25 billion (2%);
Humanitarian demining – UAH 0.13 billion (1%);
● Education and science needs – UAH 0.12 billion (1%).
December was also a significant month for Come Back Alive, as it was then that the foundation raised 20% of all its accumulations for the year – UAH 0.9 billion. In contrast, the foundation’s share of all donations raised together with its colleagues is 24%, or UAH 4.53 billion.
Only 11% of the total accumulated amount is accounted for by the Shelter Fund. The organization raised UAH 2.14 billion last year, of which the largest amount was received in October – UAH 0.31 billion.
https://opendatabot.ua/analytics/donation-2023
amount of donations, charitable organizations, Come Back Alive, Shelter Fund, UNITED 24
