In January-September of this year, Ukrainian enterprises increased their consumption of rolled metal products by 39.49% compared to the same period last year, to 3 million 164.5 thousand tons.
According to a press release from the Ukrmetallurgprom association, 1 million 239.5 thousand tons, or 37.17% of the domestic market for rolled metal consumption, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in the first nine months of 2025, metal companies produced 4.843 million tons of rolled metal (100.4% compared to the same period in 2024), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, 2.918 million tons, or 60.3%, were exported. In January-September 2024, the share of exports was 68.9% (3.323 million tons with a total production of rolled metal products of 4.821 million tons).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in January-September 2025 is 32.59%, which is significantly lower than in January-September 2024 (46.98%). The share of flat products in export deliveries in January-September 2025 significantly exceeds the figure for January-September 2024 (44.24% and 39.00%, respectively). The share of long products is also significantly higher than in January-September 2024 (23.17% in 2025 versus 14.02% in 2024).
The structure of imports in January-September 2025 continues to be characterized by the significant dominance of flat rolled products over long products (67.14% and 21.28%, respectively); in January-September 2024, the dominance of flat rolled products over long products was also significant (79.37% and 19.19%, respectively).
“In the first nine months of 2025, the domestic market capacity was 3,164,500 tons of rolled metal, of which 1,239,500 tons, or 39.17%, were imports. In January-September 2024, the domestic market capacity was 2,425,100 tons, of which 927,100 tons, or 38.23%, were imported. Thus, in January-September 2025, there was a 39.49% increase in the capacity of the domestic market compared to January-September 2024, with a simultaneous increase in the share of imports by 0.94%,” the press release states.
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled metal products in the first nine months of this year were the European Union (79.9%), other European countries (8.9%), and the CIS (6.2%).
Among metallurgical importers in January-September 2025, other European countries ranked first (50.3%), followed by the EU-27 (22.5%) and Asian countries (20.7%).
As reported, Ukraine’s rolled metal market in 2024 shrank by 6.26% compared to the previous year, to 3 million 288.4 thousand tons, while in 2023 it increased 2.19 times compared to 2022, to 3 million 505.6 thousand tons.
The mining and metallurgical group Metinvest plans to invest $293 million in its assets this year, while last year the total amount of investments, including joint ventures, amounted to $251 million, about 90% of which went to the development of Ukrainian enterprises. According to dsnews.ua’s article “Top 10 Successful Investor Companies in Ukraine,” Metinvest entered the top ten leading investors in Ukraine: $90 million in the first half of 2025. These investments were directed mainly at supporting technologies, maintaining production volumes, and ensuring labor safety.
As before, the funds are concentrated on critical areas: the mining segment, to ensure the production cycle, and the energy sector, to minimize blackout risks.
Despite the proximity of the front line, Metinvest continues large-scale repair and modernization works at its enterprises. In the first half of 2025, investments in repairs and equipment amounted to $28.8 million at Kametstal, $6.4 million at Zaporizhstal, $19 million at Northern GOK, and $3 million at Central GOK. The group focuses particularly on Kametstal and the mining and beneficiation plants.
At Kametstal, the first overhaul of Blast Furnace No. 9 since the start of the full-scale invasion was completed for $16 million, and equipment of one of the converters was restored. At Southern GOK, a new vacuum pump production station No. 4 is being built with a planned capacity of over 100,000 tons of concentrate per month.
A priority is the construction of a tailings thickening plant at Northern GOK. The relevant equipment will be purchased from the Finnish industrial manufacturer Metso Finland, for which Metinvest opened a credit line of EUR 23.6 million at Deutsche Bank.
The group is taking up the challenge of “greening” production processes, particularly within the EU’s environmental policy framework. From 2026, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) should come into full effect, obliging importers to buy certificates compensating for emissions contained in goods imported to the EU. The EU may postpone CBAM for Ukraine due to the war.
At Northern GOK, one of the LURGI 552 roasting machines is being redesigned to produce improved pellets that meet EU green metallurgy requirements. Capital investments at Kametstal also support the green transition. Overall, the group estimates the green modernization of its assets at about $8 billion.
The group pays special attention to energy security. Between 2022 and 2024, it spent UAH 159.4 million on 242 diesel generators with a total capacity of 22.9 MW. Another UAH 240 million was allocated to modernize and maintain steam generation with a nominal capacity of 89 MW. At Kametstal, maneuverable gas generation has started in pilot mode.
Metinvest has major plans for developing its own generation: gas piston generators at Northern, Central GOKs and Kametstal (29 MW, $26 million), as well as solar power plants at Central GOK (23.8 MW) and Kametstal (13.3 MW) worth $18.1 million in 2025–2026.
Another important direction is investment in artificial intelligence technologies. Metinvest Digital, the group’s IT company, is responsible for R&D. Its solutions are quickly implemented in production. The AI tool ForgeCheck helps control product quality at Zaporizhstal by detecting slab defects, reducing complaints and saving electricity.
Another system, the SPAIS platform, integrates into industrial video surveillance to monitor safety compliance, helping reduce workplace violations.
According to Metinvest B.V.’s report, in the first half of 2025, capital investments decreased by 28% to $91 million compared to $127 million a year earlier. $52 million was invested in metallurgy and $38 million in mining. 79% of expenses went to maintenance (90% in the first half of 2024), the rest to strategic projects.
In 2024, capital investments decreased by 17% to $235 million from $284 million in 2023. $81 million was invested in metallurgy and $146 million in mining.
Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of mining and metallurgical companies. Its enterprises are located in Ukraine — in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions — as well as in European countries. The main shareholders of the holding are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart-Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage it. Metinvest Holding LLC is the group’s management company.
According to preliminary data, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises increased their total rolled steel production in January-September this year by 0.5% compared to the same period last year, from 4.821 million tons to 4.843 million tons.
According to information from the Ukrmetallurgprom association, steel smelting during this period decreased by 6.1% to 5.523 million tons, but pig iron production increased by 8.1% to 5.792 million tons.
In September, 587,000 tons of rolled products, 611,000 tons of steel, and 683,000 tons of pig iron were produced, while in the previous month, 633,200 tons of rolled products, 649,400 tons of steel, and 747,500 tons of pig iron were produced.
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine increased its total rolled steel production by 15.8% compared to 2023, to 6.222 million tons from 5.372 million tons. Steel production during this period increased by 21.6% to 7.575 million tons, and pig iron production increased by 18.1% to 7.090 million tons.
In 2023, Ukraine increased its total rolled steel production by 0.4% compared to 2022, to 5.372 million tons, but reduced its steel production by 0.6%, to 6.228 million tons, and its pig iron production by 6.1%, to 6.003 million tons.
In 2022, the country reduced its production of total rolled steel by 72% compared to 2021, to 5.350 million tons, steel by 70.7%, to 6.263 million tons, and pig iron by 69.8%, to 6.391 million tons.
In pre-war 2021, 21.165 million tons of pig iron (103.6% compared to 2020), 21.366 million tons of steel (103.6%), and 19.079 million tons of rolled steel (103.5%) were produced.
In August this year, Ukrainian metallurgical companies reduced steel production by 6.1% compared to the same period last year, from 691,000 tons to 649,000 tons, but increased it by 11.7% compared to the previous month (581,000 tons).
In the ranking of global producers of this product, compiled by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), Ukraine ranked 21st among 70 countries.
According to Worldsteel, in August 2025, there was a decline in steel production compared to August 2024 in most of the top ten countries, except for India, the US, Turkey, and Vietnam.
The top ten steel-producing countries in August were as follows: China – 77.370 million tons (down 0.7% from August 2024), India – 14.087 million tons (up 13.2%), the US – 7.156 million tons (+3.2%), Japan – 6.636 million tons (-3.4%), Russia – 5.5 million tons (-4.6%), South Korea – 5.177 million tons (-6.1%), Turkey – 3.394 million tons (+7.9%), Brazil – 2.866 million tons (-4.6%), Germany – 2.577 million tons (-10.5%), and Vietnam – 2.040 million tons (+13.8%).
In total, steel production in August this year increased by 0.3% compared to the same period last year, to 145.288 million tons.
Based on the results of the first eight months of this year, the top ten steel-producing countries are as follows: China – 671.810 million tons (-2.8% compared to January-August 2024), India – 108.920 million tons (+10.2%), the United States – 54.552 million tons (+1.6%), Japan – 54.099 million tons (-4.5%), Russia – 46.091 million tons (-4.8%), South Korea – 41.061 million tons (-3.5%), Turkey – 24.878 million tons (+0.2%), Germany – 22.405 million tons (-11.9%), Brazil – 22.180 million tons (-1.5%) and Iran – 19.781 million tons (-3.6%).
Over the first eight months of this year, Ukrainian steel companies reduced steel production by 6.8% compared to the same period last year, from 5.274 million tons to 4.912 million tons. The country ranked 22nd.
In general, global steel production in January-August 2025 decreased by 1.7% compared to the same period in 2024, to 1 billion 230.635 million tons.
As reported, at the end of 2024, the top ten steel-producing countries among 71 countries were as follows: China – 1 billion 5.090 million tons (-1.7%), India – 149.587 million tons (+6.3%), Japan – 84.009 million tons (-3.4%), the United States – 79.452 million tons (-2.4%), Russia – 70.690 million tons (-7%), South Korea – 63.531 million tons (-4.7%), Germany – 37.234 million tons (+5.2%), Turkey – 36.893 million tons (+9.4%), Brazil – 33.741 million tons (+5.3%), and Iran – 30.952 million tons (+0.8%).
In total, 71 countries produced 1 billion 839.449 million tons of steel last year, which is 0.9% less than in 2023.
At the same time, Ukraine produced 7.575 million tons of steel in 2024, which is 21.6% higher than in 2023 (6.228 million tons). The country ranked 20th in 2024.
In 2023, China produced 1 billion 19.080 million tons (at the level of the previous year), India – 140.171 million tons (+11.8%), Japan – 86.996 million tons (-2.5%), the US – 80.664 million tons (+0.2%), Russia – 75.8 million tons (+5.6%), South Korea – 66.676 million tons (+1.3%), Germany – 35.438 million tons (-3.9%), Turkey – 33.714 million tons (-4%), Brazil – 31.869 million tons (-6.5%), and Iran – 31.139 million tons (+1.8%). In total, 71 countries produced 1 billion 849.734 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.1% less than in 2022.
At the same time, Ukraine produced 6.228 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.6% less than in 2022. The country ranked 22nd in 2023.
At the end of 2022, the top ten steel-producing countries were as follows: China – 1.013 billion tons (-2.1%), India – 124.720 million tons (+5.5%), Japan – 89.235 million tons (-7.4%), the United States – 80.715 million tons (-5.9%), Russia – 71.5 million tons (-7.2%), South Korea – 65.865 million tons (-6.5%), Germany – 36.849 million tons (-8.4%), Turkey – 35.134 million tons (-12.9%), Brazil – 33.972 million tons (-5.8%), and Iran – 30.593 million tons (+8%).
Ukraine ranked 23rd in 2022 with 6.263 million tons of steel (-70.7%).
In total, 64 countries produced 1 billion 831.467 million tons of steel in 2022, which is 4.3% less than in 2021.
In January-July of this year, Ukraine reduced exports of semi-finished products made of carbon steel in physical terms by 36.3% compared to the same period last year, to 705,625 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Tuesday, in monetary terms, exports of semi-finished carbon steel products fell by 37.6% to $342.978 million.
The main exports were to Bulgaria (39.22% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (16.22%), and Poland (14.86%).
During the period in question, Ukraine imported 19,472 thousand tons of semi-finished products worth $14.943 million, mainly from Oman (32.95%), Germany (25.28%), and Italy (21.77%).
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine increased exports of semi-finished products made of carbon steel in physical terms by 56.7% compared to 2023, to 1 million 886.090 thousand tons, with revenue in monetary terms growing by 52.4% to $927.554 million. The main exports were to Bulgaria (32.06% of supplies in monetary terms), Egypt (18.50%), and Turkey (11.14%).
In 2024, Ukraine imported 306 tons of semi-finished products worth $278 thousand from the Czech Republic (88.13%), Romania (7.19%), and Poland (2.88%), while in 2023, it imported 96 tons worth $172 thousand.
In January-July of this year, the Zaporizhstal steel plant in Zaporizhia increased its rolled steel production by 11% compared to the same period last year, to 1 million 593.4 thousand tons from 1.435 million tons.
According to the plant’s press release on Friday, steel production for the period amounted to 1 million 828.1 thousand tons (in January-July 2024 – 1 million 737.1 thousand tons), and pig iron – 2 million 28.5 thousand tons (1 million 789.5 thousand tons).
In July, Zaporizhstal produced 309 thousand tons of pig iron, 264 thousand tons of steel, 231.2 thousand tons of rolled products, compared to 292,500 tons of pig iron, 267,500 tons of steel, and 220,400 tons of rolled products in the previous month.
As reported, in 2024, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled steel output by 18.1% compared to 2023, to 2 million 426.7 thousand tons from 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, and steel output by 17.2%, to 2 million 890.8 thousand tons, and pig iron by 14.2%, to 3 million 106.3 thousand tons.
In 2023, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled steel production by 57.2% compared to 2022, to 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, steel by 65.4%, to 2 million 466.9 thousand tons, and pig iron by 35.3%, to 2 million 718.9 thousand tons.
Zaporizhstal is one of Ukraine’s largest industrial enterprises, whose products are in high demand among consumers both on the domestic market and in many countries around the world.
Zaporizhstal is a joint venture of the Metinvest Group, whose main shareholders are System Capital Management (71.24%) and Smart Steel Limited (23.76%). Metinvest Holding LLC is the managing company of the Metinvest Group.
