Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

Ukraine Reduced Pig Iron Production by 22.9% Over 9 Months

Ukrainian steelmakers reduced pig iron production by 22.9% in January–September of this year compared to the same period last year, down to 4.463 million metric tons.

According to information released Friday by the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association, 113,000 metric tons of pig iron were produced in September, 257,100 metric tons in August, 432,200 metric tons in July, 670,600 metric tons in June, in May—634,400 metric tons, in April—554,000 metric tons, in March—690,200 metric tons, in February—561,900 metric tons, and in January—549,900 metric tons.

In 2025, Ukraine’s steel companies increased pig iron production by 11.2% compared to 2024, reaching 7.884 million metric tons.

In 2024, Ukraine increased pig iron production by 18.1% compared to 2023, reaching 7.090 million metric tons. In 2023, pig iron production fell by 6.1% to 6.003 million metric tons, and in 2022, it fell by 69.8% to 6.391 million metric tons.

In 2021, before the war, 21.165 million metric tons of pig iron were produced, or 103.6% of the 2020 level.

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Ukraine Reduced Rolled Steel Production by 23% Over 9 Months

According to preliminary data, Ukrainian steelmakers reduced their production of total rolled steel by 23% in January–September of this year compared to the same period last year, down to 3.729 million metric tons.

According to information released Friday by the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association, 137,000 metric tons of rolled steel were produced in September, 269,500 metric tons in August, 382,700 metric tons in July, 599,800 metric tons in June, in May—537,800 metric tons, in April—460,800 metric tons, in March—544,500 metric tons, in February—390,300 metric tons, and in January—406,400 metric tons.

In 2025, Ukraine’s steel companies increased their production of general-purpose rolled steel by 4.8% compared to 2024, reaching 6.521 million metric tons.

In 2024, Ukraine increased its production of general-purpose rolled steel by 15.8% compared to 2023—to 6.222 million metric tons from 5.372 million metric tons. In 2023, total rolled steel production rose by 0.4% to 5.372 million metric tons, while in 2022 it fell by 72% to 5.350 million metric tons.

In 2021, before the war, 19.079 million metric tons of rolled steel were produced, or 103.5% of the 2020 level.

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Ukraine Reduced Steel Production by 19.8% Over 9 Months

Ukrainian steelmakers reduced steel production by 19.8% in January–September of this year compared to the same period last year, down to 4.431 million metric tons.

According to information released Friday by the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association, 131,000 metric tons of steel were produced in September, 277,000 metric tons in August, 457,000 metric tons in July, 690,800 metric tons in June, in May—629,400 metric tons, in April—517,300 metric tons, in March—702,300 metric tons, in February—515,000 metric tons, and in January—511,100 metric tons.

In 2025, Ukraine’s steel mills reduced steel production by 2.2% compared to 2024, to 7.409 million metric tons.

In 2024, Ukraine increased steel production by 21.6% compared to 2023, to 7.575 million metric tons. In 2023, steel production fell by 0.6% to 6.228 million metric tons, and in 2022, it fell by 70.7% to 6.263 million metric tons.

In 2021, before the war, 21.366 million metric tons of steel were produced, or 103.6% of the 2020 level.

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Kusum pharmaceutical plant in Sumy has been destroyed

As a result of an enemy attack, the Kusum pharmaceutical plant in Sumy was destroyed, and one employee was killed.

“This morning, the production facility of the Kusum pharmaceutical company in Sumy was destroyed as a result of an enemy attack. Unfortunately, the attack claimed the life of company employee Yevgeny Vladimirovich Miroshnichenko, who had worked in the plant’s engineering department since 2009. ‘Kusum’ extends its sincere condolences to his family and loved ones,” the company stated on its website.

The company reports that ‘Kusum’ continues to operate.

” In addition to its production facilities in Ukraine, the company has manufacturing sites in India—in Indore and Bhiwadi. “This will allow us, in the absence of artificial regulatory barriers, to restructure our processes and work to ensure uninterrupted supplies of medicines to Ukraine,” the pharmaceutical company stated.

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China Increased Its Share of the Global Auto Industry from 4% to 36% in 25 Years – Experts Club

Over the past 25 years, China has increased its share of global automobile production approximately ninefold—from 4% in 2000 to 36% in 2025—transforming itself from a relatively small manufacturer into the world’s largest automotive hub. This was reported by the Experts Club information and analytical center, citing a study by the consulting firm Strategy Partners.

According to analysts’ estimates, around 2 million vehicles were produced in China in 2000, while by 2025 production exceeded 34 million vehicles per year. Thus, over a quarter of a century, the volume of Chinese automobile production increased approximately 17-fold.

China’s position strengthened particularly rapidly after 2010. The country not only formed the world’s largest domestic automobile market, but also created a large-scale manufacturing base covering virtually the entire value chain — from components and batteries to vehicle manufacturing and software.

One of the main factors behind the further growth of China’s automotive industry was the transition to electric vehicles and hybrid models. Chinese manufacturers gained strong positions in the new energy vehicle segment — NEV, which includes fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

At the same time, Chinese companies are actively increasing their presence abroad. China has become the world’s largest automobile exporter, while local manufacturers are expanding sales and creating their own production capacities in Europe, Asia, Latin America and other regions.

As a result, the structure of the global automobile market has also changed. While in the early 2000s it was shaped primarily by manufacturers from the United States, Japan and Western Europe, by the mid-2020s China had become the industry’s largest individual manufacturing hub.

The growth of China’s automotive industry is accompanied by the strengthening of its own national brands. BYD, Geely, Chery, SAIC, Great Wall Motor and other manufacturers are increasingly competing with European, American, Japanese and South Korean automotive groups not only in China’s domestic market but also in export markets.

China’s own battery manufacturing base has become a significant competitive advantage. Chinese companies hold leading positions in the global production of traction batteries, while the country controls a significant share of global production chains related to raw material processing and the manufacture of components for electric vehicles.

According to Strategy Partners, the transformation of China’s automotive industry demonstrates the country’s transition from a model of catching-up industrial development to technological leadership in certain segments of the industry.

If current trends continue, competition between Chinese and traditional global automakers will increasingly shift into the areas of electric vehicles, battery technologies, software, autonomous driving and production costs.

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Serbia plans to launch new production facility for drone components in early October

According to the Serbian business publication Parametar, construction of the first phase of a new plant to manufacture electric motors for drones is nearing completion in the village of Kotraža near Lučani. The equipment has already been delivered, some employees have been hired and are undergoing training, and production is expected to begin in early October.

In the first phase, the plant is expected to employ about 50 people; after the completion of all three phases, the workforce will grow to 60–70 employees. Earlier reports mentioned the possibility of expanding the workforce to 150 employees. The plant’s projected production capacity is up to 40,000 motors per month.

Businessman Milenko Kostić stated that the idea to establish the production facility came from Želko Mitrović. For the small town of Dragacheva, the project is significant not only from a technological standpoint: the plant is effectively being created as a new industrial employment hub in a rural area.

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