Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

“Metinvest” increases iron ore concentrate production by 63% and pellets by 15%

“Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest mining and metals holding, increased its total production of iron ore concentrate (IOC) by 63% year-on-year to 12.239 million tonnes in January-September this year, and pellets by 15% to 4.570 million tonnes, but reduced its total output of coking coal concentrate by 25% to 3.220 million tonnes.
According to the operating report of the parent company Metinvest B.V. on Monday, in March-July 2024, Ukraine experienced power supply restrictions due to Russian shelling and high demand for imported electricity. Since August, the situation has stabilized, but the unfavorable conditions on the iron ore market have led to a decline in production.
The Group’s mining and processing plants continued to operate at varying levels of capacity utilization, taking into account the availability of electricity, its cost, market prices for iron ore products and other factors to ensure efficient production. As a result, in Q3 2024, total iron ore concentrate production decreased by 17% quarter-on-quarter to 3.347 million tonnes; production of saleable iron ore products decreased by 15% to 3.231 million tonnes, including iron ore products by 16% to 1.854 million tonnes, and saleable pellets by 14% to 1.377 million tonnes.
Amid the unblocking of Ukrainian Black Sea ports from August 2023 and an increase in the order book for pellets, total iron ore production increased by 63% to 12.239 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year. At the same time, the output of commercial iron ore products increased by 84% to 11.446 million tons, including a 3.1-fold increase in the production of commercial iron ore products to 6.876 million tons and 15% increase in commercial pellets to 4.570 million tons.
Since February 2024, Russian troops have concentrated their efforts on several fronts, including the Pokrovske direction, located near the Pokrovske coal group. Russian troops captured a number of towns and villages in the region and shifted the front line. Intense fighting and massive shelling continue in the area. Management is closely monitoring the situation and is taking all possible measures to minimize any potential negative consequences for the group, the statement said.
In the third quarter of 2024, the group’s production of coal concentrate increased by 14% quarter-on-quarter to 1.135 million tons. The main factor was a 17% increase in production volumes at Pokrovske Coal Group to 658 thousand tons. Despite the intensification of military operations in the Pokrovske area, production increased due to the commissioning of an additional longwall, which increased mining productivity and improved the quality characteristics of Ukrainian coking coal.
United Coal Company’s (USA) coal concentrate production increased by 9% quarter-on-quarter to 477 thousand tons due to increased production at some Affinity mines, mainly on the back of growing demand for coking coal.
For 9M2024, the Group’s coal concentrate production decreased by 25% year-on-year to 3.220 million tonnes, in particular due to a 23% decrease in production at Pokrovske Coal Group to 1.860 million tonnes, mainly as a result of optimization of mining operations due to changes in mining and geological conditions; at United Coal Company by 28% to 1.360 million tonnes due to the cessation of production at Carter Roag mines and a decrease in production at some Wellmore mines.
“Metinvest comprises mining and steel production facilities located in Ukraine, Europe and the United States. Its major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage it.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.

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“Metinvest” increases steel production by 5% and iron production by 2%

“Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest mining and metals holding, increased steel production by 5% year-on-year to 1.610 million tonnes and pig iron production by 2% to 1.367 million tonnes in January-September this year, but reduced total coke production by 11% to 846 thousand tonnes.
According to the press release of the parent company Metinvest B.V. on the operating results for 9M2024, due to the start of Russia’s large-scale military aggression against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the group’s Ukrainian enterprises (except for those located in Mariupol and Avdiivka) continue to operate at different levels of utilization due to security, staff availability, electricity supply, as well as logistical and economic factors.
At the same time, in the third quarter of 2024, pig iron and steel production at Kametstal remained almost at the level of the previous quarter and amounted to 483 thousand tons and 568 thousand tons, respectively.
In the first nine months of 2024, steel production increased due to an increase in the order book for steel products.
In the third quarter, production of finished products decreased by 19% quarter-on-quarter to 491 thousand tons. In particular, flat products production decreased by 29% to 185 thousand tonnes, which was driven by several factors: first, the irregular operation of Ferriera Valider (Italy), which depends on marginal orders amid unfavorable European market conditions; and second, the scheduled overhaul of the rolling mills in Italy and the UK in August.
Production of long products decreased by 11% to 306 thousand tons due to the scheduled shutdown of Promet Steel (Bulgaria) for overhaul in August.
In January-September 2024, production of finished products decreased by 3% compared to the same period in 2023, to 1.678 million tons. In particular, flat products production decreased by 14% to 729 thousand tonnes over the nine months due to unfavorable conditions in the European market, which resulted in the absence of marginal orders for hot-rolled coils and a decrease in the order book for hot-rolled plates. At the same time, production of galvanized cold-rolled coils increased by 65% as Unisteel’s 4th inductor in Ukraine resumed operations after it was shut down for overhaul in Q2 last year.
Production of long products increased by 8% to 949 thousand tons due to an increase in the order book for Kametstal and Promet Steel products.
In the third quarter of 2024, coke production remained at the level of the previous quarter and amounted to 282 thousand tons.
In 9M2024, coke production decreased by 11% year-on-year due to the shutdown of some coking chambers at Kametstal’s coke oven battery No. 1 in early 2024.
“Metinvest comprises mining and steel production facilities located in Ukraine, Europe and the United States. Its major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage it.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.

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Ukraine reduced iron exports by 60%, 40% of supplies went to USA

In January-August of this year, Ukraine reduced the export of marginal iron in physical terms by 59.6% compared to the same period last year – to 877,631 thousand tons.
According to statistics published by the State Customs Service (SSC), during the specified period, the export of pig iron in money decreased by 57.8% – to $475,533 million.
At the same time, exports were made mainly to the USA (40.42% of deliveries in monetary terms), Poland (33.23%) and Turkey (9.3%).
In January-August 2022, Ukraine imported 15 tons of pig iron from Germany for $25 thousand, while in 8 months of 2021 it imported 149 tons of pig iron for $163 thousand from Germany (64.42%), the Russian Federation (28.22%) and Slovakia (7.36%).
As reported, in 2021, Ukraine increased the export of pig iron in physical terms by 4.2% compared to 2020 – to 3 million 235,772 thousand tons, the export of pig iron in monetary terms increased by 78.1% – to $1 billion 642,596 million At the same time exports were made mainly to the USA (53.61% of deliveries in monetary terms), Italy (22.08%) and Turkey (9.74%).
In 2021, Ukraine imported 185 tons of pig iron worth $226,000 from Germany (74.34%), the Russian Federation (20.35%) and Slovakia (5.31%), while in 2020 it imported 593 tons worth $417,000.

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ARCELORMITTAL KRYVYI RIH INCREASES PRODUCTION OF IRON

PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region) in January-November this year increased production of rolled iron ore by 3.3% compared to the same period last year – up to 10 million tonnes.
An enterprise representative told Interfax-Ukraine about 900,000 tonnes of concentrate were produced in November.
Earlier, the general director of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Mauro Longobardo, reported that ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih in 2020 increased production of iron ore concentrate by 8.3%, to 10.7 million tonnes, ore extraction increased by 4.5%, to 25.6 million tonnes.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is the largest manufacturer of rolled steel in Ukraine. It specializes in production of long products, in particular, rebar and wire rod.
ArcelorMittal owns the largest mining and metallurgical plant in Ukraine ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih and a number of small companies, in particular, PJSC ArcelorMittal Beryslav.

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DNIPROVSKY INTEGRATED IRON & STEEL WORKS PUT UP FOR SALE FOR UAH 8.4 BLN

Arbitration manager Oleksiy Sokol put up in ProZorro. Sales as part of the bankruptcy of PJSC Dniprovsky Integrated Iron & Steel Works (DMK, Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region) its single property complex with an initial price of UAH 8.4 billion.
According to information in ProZorro. Sales, applications are accepted until July 25 inclusively, and the auction is scheduled for July 26.
The materials specify that the possibility of price reduction is not provided, the buyer will be the legal successor of PJSC DMK, which currently employs 8,772 people.
As reported, the DMK was being reorganized as part of the bankruptcy proceedings of the enterprise. In January-June of this year, the company reduced the production of general rolled products, according to operational data, by 1.4% compared to the same period last year – to 1.3 million tonnes. Steel production was kept at the level of the six months of last year – 1.31 million tonnes, pig iron increased by 3.3% – to 1.25 million tonnes, but sinter production decreased by 1.2% – to 2.1 million tonnes.
Last year, DMK increased its production of general rolled products by 13.3% to 2.54 million tonnes, steel – by 15.2% to 2.56 million tonnes, pig iron – by 19.2% to 2.36 million tonnes, agglomerate – 40.2%, up to 4.06 million tonnes.
The company is controlled by the ISD corporation which was founded in 1995. It is an integrated holding company that owns or manages stakes in mining and metals enterprises. The corporation also includes the Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works, over which control has been lost since the end of 2017, as well as the ISD-Dunaferr Iron and Steel Works (Hungary). ISD-Huta Czestochowa (Poland) was sold by the Polish authorities to Liberty Steel as part of the bankruptcy process, and ISD lost control over the enterprise.

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INHULETS MINING INCREASES OUTPUT OF IRON ORE CONCENTRATE BY 4%

Inhulets Mining and Processing Plant (Kryvy Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region), part of Metinvest Group, in 2020 increased output of iron ore concentrate by 4% compared to 2019, to 12.858 million tonnes.
According to the audited consolidated financial results released by the company on Tuesday, work was carried out last year to modernize the transport infrastructure.
Completion of the construction of a new cyclical flow technology at Inhulets plant is planned in the second half of 2021.
The enterprise specializes in extraction and processing of ferruginous quartzites of Inhulets deposit, located in the southern part of the Kryvy Rih iron ore basin. It produces two types of iron ore concentrate with an iron content of 64.8% and 67%.
The production capacity is 14 million tonnes of iron ore concentrate per year.
Inhulets Mining and Processing Plant is part of Metinvest Group, the main shareholders of which are PrJSC System Capital Management (SCM, Donetsk, 71.24%) and the Smart-Holding (23.76%).
Metinvest Group’s management company is Metinvest Holding LLC.

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