Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-June this year reduced the production of total rolled steel, according to operational data, by 41% compared to the same period last year – to 2.375 million tons.
According to the association “Ukrmetallurgprom” on Saturday, in the first six months of this year, steel production fell by 37.7% compared with January-June 2022 – to 2.829 million tons.
Cast iron production during this period decreased by 37.5% to 2.836 million tons.
As reported, Ukraine in 5M-2023 decreased the production of rolled steel by 47.8% over the same period last year – to 1.982 million tons, steel by 43.7% to 2.392 million tons, and cast iron by 43.9% to 2.350 million tons.
Ukraine in 2022 reduced the production of total rolled products by 72% compared to the previous year – up to 5.350 million tons, steel by 70.7% – to 6.263 million tons, cast iron by 69.8% – to 6.391 million tons.
In 2021, the company produced 21.165 million tons of cast iron (103.6% by 2020), 21.366 million tons of steel (103.6%), 19.079 million tons of rolled steel (103.5%).
Mining company Ferrexpo plc with assets in Ukraine in January-June this year produced 1.967 million tons of pellets, which is 2.3 times less than in the same period last year (4.797 million tons).
The company said Thursday that pellet production in the second quarter of 2023 was up 18 percent from the previous quarter, but down 48.9 percent from the second quarter of 2022 to 1.066 million tons.
In 2023, only pellets with 65% iron content were produced.
At the same time, the total production of commercial products (pellets and iron ore concentrate) in the first half of this year decreased 2.27 times to 2.126 million tons compared to the first half of 2022. Including the output of commercial concentrate in January-June 2023 amounted to 160 thousand tons (19 thousand tons in January-June 2022).
The press release explains that Ferrexpo continues to produce, transport and sell its products under war conditions, with associated energy and logistical constraints. Meanwhile, the group has successfully operated two pellet production lines, the second of which was re-commissioned earlier this year.
The emphasis in production is on producing pellets with a higher iron content of 65% Fe or higher. Sales continued to be exported by rail and barge to Central and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea. Sales for the quarter totaled 1.2 million tons, up 45% from the previous quarter and 2.1 million tons in the first half of 2023.
The Group intends to continue using one to two pellet lines through the end of the year, as it did in the first half of the year, provided there are no further significant changes in the operating environment and logistics availability in Ukraine.
Acting Executive Chairman Lucio Genovese noted in his commentary that despite incessant shelling and multiple challenges, the company has been able to adapt its business. In particular, a second pellet line returned to production in the first half of 2023, increasing flexibility and the ability to rebuild production. However, logistics remain limited.
“Although we now have the ability to produce more, we do not currently have enough alternative Black Sea ports to export more,” Genovese stated.
He also reported that “during the first six months, we continued to maintain a strong cash position while funding our capital commitments.”
“We continue to evaluate alternative supply routes in the near term, and we are looking to the post-war future, developing plans to restore capacity so that we can return to full production levels and play our part in rebuilding Ukraine,” the top manager summarized.
As reported, Ferrexpo produced 6.053 million tons of pellets in 2022, down 46% from 2021. At the same time, pellet production in the fourth quarter of 2022 decreased by 86% compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, and by September-December 2022 decreased by 50% to 417,000 tons.
Production of premium pellets with 65% iron content in 2022 was 5.7 million tonnes (down 47%), including 417 thousand tonnes in the fourth quarter (down 28% quarter-on-quarter and 86% year-on-year). Direct reduction of iron pellets (DRI, 67% iron) output last year was 353 thousand tonnes (down 18% q-o-q), which was not produced in Q4-2022.
No pellets with 62% iron content were produced in 2022.
At the same time, total production of commercial products (pellets and iron ore concentrate) in 2022 decreased by 46% to 6.177 million tons, in the fourth quarter, compared to the third, by 49%, and by Q4-2021 – by 85%, to 457 thousand tons. Last year’s output of marketable concentrate fell by 47% to 124 kt, including 40 kt in Q4-2022 (down 38% q-o-q and up 3% q-o-q).
Total annual sales in 2022 were 6.2 million tons, down 46% from 2021.
Poltava GOK has four pellet production lines.
Ferrexpo is an iron ore company with assets in Ukraine.
Ferrexpo owns 100% of Yeristovsky GOK LLC, 99.9% of Belanovsky GOK LLC and 100% of Poltava GOK PJSC.
Zaporizhkoks PJSC, one of Ukraine’s largest producers of coke products, a part of Metinvest group, in January-June this year increased blast furnace coke production by 30.8% y-o-y, to 426.8 thousand tons from 326.3 thousand tons.
According to the company data, in June 2023 it produced 71.1 thousand tons of blast-furnace coke, whereas in June 2022 it was 68.4 thousand tons (4% increase).
“Zaporizhkoks” in 2022 decreased the production of blast-furnace coke by 11.9% compared to 2021 – to 737.4 thousand tons, including 70.8 coke produced in December.
“Zaporizhkoks” produces about 10% of coke produced in Ukraine, owns a full technological cycle of processing of coke products. It also produces coke gas and pitch coke.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated mining group of companies. Its major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%) that jointly manage the company.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the managing company of Metinvest group.
Ceramic Masses of Donbass LLC (Slavyansk, Donetsk Region) resumed production, the company’s press service said.
“It was a very difficult road to recovery: damaged equipment, a lot of destruction, destroyed electricity/gas lines, inability to access raw materials, but we managed,” the company’s official Facebook page reported.
It is specified that a limited line has been resumed for the time being, semipharmonic mass PFF-3 is already available, once the production processes are set up, the offer will be expanded.
According to opendatabot, LLC “Ceramic Mass of Donbass” was founded in 2007, the authorized capital – 45 million 579 thousand UAH. The founders are PrJSC Ukrainian Ceramic Group (24%) and Dutch World Ceramic Investments B.V. (76%).
In January-May 2023, the Carton and Paper Company (Lviv), a major Ukrainian manufacturer of carton sleeves and sanitary products, increased its output by 29.9% in comparison with the same period of 2022 – up to UAH 524.47 million.
According to statistics from association “UkrPapir” given to agency “Interfax-Ukraine”, in volume terms, the company increased the output of cardboard products by 8.8% – to 11.4 thousand tons, and paper-base for sanitary products has slightly decreased – to 2.8 thousand tons. Production of toilet paper in rolls increased by 28% to 2.3 million pieces.
The Company increased its paper and paperboard output by 2.6% to 3.1 thousand tons in May compared to the same month in 2022.
“Cardboard and Paper Company” (until 2011 – “Lvivkartonoplast”) produces products and semi-finished products of waste paper (cardboard sheets, corners, sleeves), pulp and recycled waste paper (toilet paper, towels, napkins TM Papero).
The products are exported to 23 countries.
As it was reported, in 2022 the factory, without stopping the work during the year, has increased the volume of marketable output by 51,5% compared to 2021 – up to 1 billion 186 million UAH. Net profit tripled to 263.7 mln hryvnia.
China increased oil production by 2.7 percent in May compared with the same month last year, to 18.1 million tons, according to the State Statistics Administration of the country.
Refining output soared 15.4 percent last month to 62 million tons, the second-highest total ever recorded. This was due, among other things, to the completion of scheduled maintenance work at a number of refineries.
Natural gas production in China in May increased by 7.2% and reached 19 billion cubic meters, since the beginning of this year – by 5.3% to 97.3 billion cubic meters.
Oil imports last month totaled 51.44 million tons, up 12.2 percent from the same month a year earlier, customs said. Gas imports rose 17.3% to 10.64 million tons, the highest since January 2022.
CHINA, GAS, OIL, PRODUCTION
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