The Kametstal plant, part of the Metinvest mining and metallurgical group (Kamensk, Dnipropetrovsk region), has begun work on upgrading its main steelmaking equipment at one of its key facilities, converter No. 1, as part of this year’s capital repair program.
According to a press release on Monday, this year the company’s primary focus is on upgrading its power equipment, primarily the converter’s gas extraction system, where a significant portion of the equipment will be replaced with new equipment, including bellows and auxiliary caissons. The stator and rotor of the electric motor of the smoke gas blower of the gas extraction system will also be replaced.
Repairs to the converter housing have already been completed. One of the important stages of the overhaul is the complete replacement of the converter’s refractory lining. The old refractories have already been dismantled.
According to Andriy Zuev, Deputy Head of Engineering at Kametstal’s converter shop, the comprehensive tasks of all converter shop departments, as well as the Central Repair and Maintenance Department and the Central Repair Department, include not only the renovation of key equipment of the first converter, but also a thorough overhaul and repair of all infrastructure facilities of the unit: oxygen supply machines, vertical feeders for bulk materials, circulation pump units, special rolling stock – slag cars, steel cars, etc.
“Each of these facilities is undergoing mechanical, energy, and electrical repairs, which will ensure the reliable and efficient operation of converter No. 1 after the completion of the overhaul,” he said.
Kametstal is part of the Metinvest Group.
In January-March 2025, Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group, including its associates and joint ventures, increased its payments to the budgets of all levels in Ukraine by 4% compared to the same period in 2024, to UAH 4.4 billion.
According to the company’s press release on Thursday, the top three largest payments were subsoil use fees (UAH 1.2 billion), a single social contribution (UAH 846 million), and personal income tax (UAH 751 million).
In addition, in January-March 2025, Metinvest’s Ukrainian enterprises paid UAH 365 million in income tax and UAH 166 million in environmental tax. At the same time, land payments increased by 9% year-on-year to UAH 339 million, and military duty more than tripled to UAH 214 million.
“When every hryvnia is important for the front and the rear, responsible business becomes a real pillar of the country. Taxes are not just numbers, but real resources for the army, healthcare and social programs. Stable deductions, assistance to the Armed Forces, steel production for the front line, and humanitarian projects are our contribution to the country’s resilience. We will continue to work to support the state now and build its future together,” said Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of the group.
As reported earlier, in 2024, Metinvest paid UAH 19.8 billion in taxes and fees to the budgets of all levels in Ukraine.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies. Its businesses are located in Ukraine, in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions, as well as in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The main shareholders of the holding are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%). Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Company has promptly adapted its production processes to the war conditions, making railways and ports in Romania and Poland the main transportation channels, Metinvest Group CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov said as quoted by a corporate publication.
He added that after the opening of the sea corridor from Odesa ports, the company began to use this opportunity as well.
Ryzhenkov emphasized that despite the challenges of the war, Metinvest has the status of the largest exporter. Thus, in 2024, the total volume of exports and sales of iron ore raw materials amounted to more than 12 million tons.
“We have fully returned to our operational efficiency improvement program. For example, we have reconfigured business processes to use our own raw materials. And by most indicators – namely technical, technological and production – we have returned to the best results of 2020-2021. We have significantly reduced production costs, and despite the fall in prices in 2024, our results for the first half of the year exceeded those of the first half of 2023,” Ryzhenkov stated.
Today, the company’s assets in Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia and Kamianske continue to operate. In 2024, the group’s production increased in several categories: iron ore by 42%, pig iron by 3%, and steel by 4%.
At the same time, it is emphasized that Metinvest remains a socially responsible business. Over the three years of the war, the company has allocated more than UAH 8.4 billion to help Ukraine, of which UAH 4.4 billion went to support the defenders of Ukraine under the Steel Front project. The main areas of focus include providing the army with equipment, ammunition and machinery, developing tactical medicine and creating defense lines.
In addition to military needs, Metinvest is involved in supporting humanitarian missions, helping hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians affected by the war. About 516,000 civilians have already received support under the Saving Lives initiative. With more than 50,000 active employees, the company ensures decent working conditions and takes care of its employees and their families, providing financial, psychological and other assistance as needed. The company employs more than 1,000 veterans, and it also implements programs for their adaptation to civilian life.
It is noted that last year Metinvest paid almost UAH 20 billion in taxes, making it one of the largest taxpayers in the country.
A separate emphasis is placed on the prospect of post-war recovery. The CEO outlined the company’s main ambition as turning it into one of the world’s leaders in green steel production that meets modern environmental standards. The first step towards this goal is the construction of a green steel plant in Italy. The project will serve as an example for the future modernization of Zaporizhstal and Kametstal.
“We have an $8 billion strategy for the green modernization of Ukrainian enterprises for 7-10 years. We are ready to launch this strategy as soon as the war is over and Ukraine receives security guarantees,” Ryzhenkov said.
Despite the war, Metinvest continues to invest in Ukrainian facilities: in 2024, the total investment reached $670 million. In 2025, the company also plans to invest billions of dollars in the development of production facilities in Kryvyi Rih, Kamianske and Zaporizhzhia.
At the same time, the group is actively preparing for Ukraine’s large-scale recovery after the war. The Group plans to participate in large infrastructure and industrial projects that will not only help rebuild destroyed housing and social infrastructure but also ensure their modernization.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies. Its enterprises are located in Ukraine – in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions, as well as in Europe and the United States.
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 management company of Metinvest Group.
Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group supplies steel products and cooperates with Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti and steel construction manufacturer Cimolai. Mariotti and steel construction manufacturer Cimolai.
According to Metinvest, two twin ships – polar class expedition ships Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit – were built from Metinvest Trametal (Italy) steel for Seabourn Cruise Line.
It is specified that 10 thousand tons of Metinvest Trametal hot-rolled sheet were used for construction of Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit.
Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit are compact cruise ships with reinforced hull, which allows them to make voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic in the fall and summer seasons. They are equipped with modern equipment and technology, and each ship has two submarines on board. The ships are 172 meters long and 24 meters wide. They can accommodate 260 passengers and 120 crew members in 132 cabins.
Each ship has 10 decks, 8 of which are with passenger access.
It is also noted that the companies T. Mariotti and Cimolai have been cooperating with Metinvest for a long time.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of mining and metallurgical enterprises. The group’s enterprises are located primarily in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Dnipropetrovsk regions. The group has three rolling mills in Western Europe – Ferriera Valsider (Verona) and Metinvest Trametal (San Giorgio di Nogaro) in Italy and Spartan in the UK, as well as Promet Steel in Bulgaria.
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 management company of Metinvest Group.
Metinvest Reduces Debt by $620 Million and Increases EBITDA in 2024Metinvest B.V. (Netherlands), the parent company of Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group, has reduced its debt by more than $620 million since 2022.
As Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of the company, noted in the annual report, despite the anxiety and uncertainty of the war, there were achievements over the past year that demonstrate the group’s resilience and ability to develop in the face of challenges.
“Metinvest’s global team has shown extraordinary strength and unity. We have maintained our status as a leading exporter and pillar of Ukraine, and we remain among the largest donors to the country’s defense efforts.
In 2024, Metinvest felt the positive impact of operational changes made possible by the opening of Black Sea navigation. This significant event reinforced our results for the year. It is important that we have restored our operational efficiency,” stated the top manager.
According to him, when a full-scale war broke out in 2022, the company made efforts to rebuild its supply chains and business processes. By 2023, the company managed to adapt to the new realities, and in 2024, significant improvements in operating performance were achieved, amounting to more than $200 million.
“Even in wartime, Metinvest continued to reduce its debt. Despite all the uncertainty, the Group has repaid more than $620 million of debt since the start of the full-scale invasion, demonstrating our strong commitment to our partners. Together with our partners, we have also made progress on the Adria project, our plan to build a green steel plant in Piombino, Italy. It is poised to deliver significant benefits to all stakeholders by prioritizing innovative technologies and sustainable business practices,” Ryzhenkov emphasized.
At the same time, the CEO acknowledged that despite these very real achievements, the company also faced numerous challenges, including electricity shortages, underutilization of some production assets and margin pressure in the second half of the year. In addition, when the security situation deteriorated in late 2024, Metinvest decided to suspend production at Pokrovskugol.
“Like the rest of the world, we are closely following the latest news, including expectations about the potential for a ceasefire. No matter what happens in the coming weeks and months, we will maintain our unwavering faith in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and remain committed to Ukraine’s recovery. We honor our defense employees, whose number has grown to more than 8,000, including those with joint ventures,” the CEO wrote in his commentary.
As of December 31, 2024, total debt amounted to $1.705 billion (down 14% from $1.981 billion in 2023), mainly as a result of a strong campaign to reduce bond debt and the use of trade finance. Net debt to EBITDA decreased to 1.1x (down 0.5x yoy) and amounted to $1.048bn (down 21%, in 2023 – $1.335bn).
As reported, Metinvest’s consolidated net loss in 2024 increased sixfold compared to 2023 – to $1.152 billion from $194 million, revenue increased slightly to $8.050 billion from $7.397 billion, and EBITDA increased by 12% to $957 million from $861 million. At the same time, the steel sector’s revenue amounted to $4.824 billion ($4.846 billion in 2023) and the mining segment’s revenue amounted to $3.226 billion ($2.551 billion).
Adjusted EBITDA of the group’s steel division was $289 million ($159 million) and mining segment $768 million ($770 million). Metinvest’s operating loss in 2024 amounted to $938 million compared to $445 million in operating profit in 2023. In addition, free cash and cash equivalents increased slightly to $657 million from $646 million at the end of 2023.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies. Its businesses are located in Ukraine, in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions, as well as in Europe. 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 management company of Metinvest Group.
Metinvest B.V. (the Netherlands), the parent company of a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies, has paid a regular coupon on its 2027 Eurobonds and continues to meet its debt obligations, including to Eurobond holders, despite the war in Ukraine.
“We can confirm that the coupon was paid on time,” Andriy Burlakov, Metinvest Group’s press secretary, told Interfax-Ukraine in response to a query.
Coupon payments on the 2027 Eurobonds are due on March 1.
“On March 1 and September 1 of each year, starting from March 1, 2021,” the information on the payment of coupons on the 2027 bond states.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies. Its businesses are located in Ukraine, in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions, as well as in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.
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 management company of Metinvest Group.
