In January-September this year, Ukrainian enterprises reduced their consumption of rolled steel by 6.92% year-on-year to 2.425 million tons.
According to a press release from Ukrmetallurgprom, 927 thousand tons, or 38.23% of the domestic rolled metal consumption market, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in January-September 2014, steel companies produced 4.821 million tons of rolled metal products (122.7% compared to the same period in 2023). According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, about 3.323 million tons, or 68.9%, were exported. In January-September 2013, the share of exports amounted to 54.5% (2.142 million tons against a total rolled steel production of 3.929 million tons).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in January-September 2024 amounted to 46.98%, which is almost the same as in January-September 2023 (45.10%). The share of flat products in export deliveries in 9M2024 is slightly higher than in January-September 2023 (39.03% and 36.65%, respectively). The share of long products is significantly lower than in January-September 2023 (13.99% in 2024 vs. 18.25% in 2023).
“In the first nine months of 2024, the domestic market capacity amounted to 2.425 million tons of rolled steel, of which 927 thousand tons, or 38.23%, were imported. In January-September 2023, the domestic market capacity amounted to 2 million 605.4 thousand tons, of which 818.4 thousand tons, or 31.41%, were imported. Thus, in the first nine months of 2024, there was a decrease in the domestic market capacity by 6.92% compared to the first nine months of 2023, with a simultaneous increase in the share of the import component by 6.82%,” the press release states.
The structure of imports in January-September 2024 is still characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (79.36% and 19.19%, respectively). In January-September 2023, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant (80.78% and 18.29%, respectively).
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled steel products in January-September 2024 were the European Union (69.6%), Africa (11.7%) and the rest of Europe (7.6%).
Other European countries ranked first among metallurgical importers in the period under review (49.6%), followed by the EU-27 (28.2%), and Asia (20.6%).
As reported, Ukraine’s rolled steel market increased 2.19 times in 2023 compared to 2022, to 3 million 505.6 thousand tons. The company imported 1 million 118.6 thousand tons, or 31.91% of the domestic market for these products.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-June this year reduced production of general rolled products, according to recent data, by 58.4% compared to the same period last year, to 4.018 million tonnes.
According to the Ukrmetalurgprom association, for the first six months of the year, steel production decreased by 58.2%, to 4.539 million tonnes, and cast iron by 57.9%, to 4.538 million tonnes.
Earlier, Ukrmetalurgprom reported that Ukraine in January-May of this year reduced production of general rolled products by 52.7%, to 3.789 million tonnes, steel by 52.8%, to 4.244 million tonnes, and cast iron by 53.3%, to 4.154 million tonnes.
In the first quarter of this year, the country reduced production of general rolled products by 34.2%, to 3.116 million tonnes, steel by 31.2%, to 3.641 million tonnes, and cast iron by 34.1%, to 3.499 million tonnes.
It was also reported that Ukraine, as of February 24, 2022 (the beginning of Russian military aggression), over less than two months of this year, reduced production of general rolled products by 9.2% compared to the same period last year, to 2.859 million tonnes, steel 8.2%, to 3.225 million tonnes, and cast iron by 10.7%, to 3.132 million tonnes.
Then it was explained that in connection with Russian military aggression, all the country’s metal enterprises were stopped and transferred to the “hot conservation” mode.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-May of this year reduced the production of general rolled products, according to operational data, by 52.7% compared to the same period last year, to 3.789 million tonnes.
As reported in the information of the association Ukrmetallurgprom on Saturday, for the first five months of the year, steel production fell by 52.8%, to 4.244 million tonnes, pig iron – by 53.3%, to 4.154 million tonnes.
Earlier, Ukrmetallurgprom reported that Ukraine in the first quarter of this year reduced the production of general rolled products by 34.2% compared to the same period last year, to 3.116 million tonnes, steel by 31.2%, to 3.641 million tonnes, and pig iron by 34.1%, to 3.499 million tonnes.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises are expected to increase steel production by 4% by the end of 2021 compared to 2020 – to 21.444 million tonnes.
According to the documents of the Ministry of Economy, available to Interfax-Ukraine, production of general rolled goods will also increase by 4% – to 19.175 million tonnes, pig iron smelting – also by 4%, to 21.238 million tonnes.
The forecast is based on production indicators for January-November this year, summarized by the Ukrmetalurgprom association, the ministry said.
At the same time, the source added that if the existing trends continue, the supply of scrap metal to metallurgical enterprises in 2021 will increase by 13% – up to 3.264 million tonnes.
Production of pipes in 2021 may increase by 16% – to 990,000 tonnes, coke will decrease by 1%, to 9.541 million tonnes, but production of refractories will increase – by 9%, to 240,000 tonnes.
Sinter output may increase by 4% – up to 33.158 million tonnes.
As reported, over the ten months of this year, the enterprises produced 27.875 million tonnes of sinter (106.1% against January-October 2020), 8.003 million tonnes of 6% moisture coke (at the level of last year), 17.724 million tonnes of pig iron (105%), 17.903 million tonnes of steel (105.5%), 15.986 million tonnes of rolled products (105.4%), and 820,000 tonnes of pipe products (115.9%).
