In 2024, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (AMKR, Dnipro region) increased its rolled steel production by 72.1% compared to 2023, to 1 million 534,519 thousand tons from 891,438 thousand tons, and steel production by 69.9%, to 1 million 651,410 thousand tons from 971,846 thousand tons.
According to the company’s press release on Tuesday, pig iron production increased by 42.7% to 2 million 167.616 thousand tons from 1 million 519.183 thousand tons.
In addition, AMKR increased production of coke with 6% moisture by 48.5% to 1 million 254,743 thousand tons from 845,068 thousand tons, and iron ore concentrate by 71.7% to 7 million 820,682 thousand tons from 4 million 555,365 thousand tons. Iron ore production increased by 68.3% to 19 million 189.037 thousand tons from 11 million 401.600 thousand tons.
At the same time, it is noted that due to a number of problems, including a shortage of electricity supply, high electricity prices and the need to import a significant portion of it, as well as expensive logistics, and unfavorable price situation in the steel markets, AMKR was unable to break even in 2024.
In the middle of the year, the plant managed to temporarily achieve 50% utilization of its steelmaking capacity. The mining department operated at around 70-75% of pre-war production.
Mauro Longobardo, CEO of AMKR, stated that the war continues to affect all production-related processes.
“We have made every effort to achieve zero losses, we have done everything in our power to reduce costs within the company and optimize consumption. But this (breakeven – IF-U) did not happen for a number of reasons. The operation of one blast furnace and the fire at the coke oven battery due to blackout in the summer and its loss played a role here. In addition, costly logistics, unstable energy supply due to constant enemy attacks, a personnel crisis, depressed foreign markets where we can export our products – all this negatively affects our competitiveness and, accordingly, our financial results,” explained the CEO.
According to him, the plant’s business plan is focused on survival.
“So far, we are very cautious in our forecasts and realize that our results are far from the pre-war ones. We continue to invest only in a project that is strategically important for production – the construction of the Third Map tailings dump, the first phase of which we completed this year. For 2025, our goal remains the same: to be able to do it on our own without the financial assistance of the group that supports us in these difficult times. Despite all the challenges, AMKR remains in Ukraine and with Ukraine. We believe in the Victory and are ready to take part in the country’s recovery,” Longobardo summarized.
“ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is the largest rolled steel producer in Ukraine. It specializes in long products, including rebar and wire rod. The company has a full production cycle and its production capacity is designed to produce over 6 million tons of steel, over 5 million tons of rolled products and over 5.5 million tons of pig iron annually.
ArcelorMittal owns the largest mining and metallurgical plant in Ukraine, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, and a number of small companies, including ArcelorMittal Berislav.
Dnipro Metallurgical Plant (DMZ), a part of DCH Steel of businessman Aleksandr Yaroslavsky’s DCH group, reduced rolled steel production by 59.4% in 2024 compared to 2023, to 42.9 thousand tons.
According to information in the corporate newspaper DCH Steel on Thursday, the company did not produce steel products in December, while in November it produced 7.1 thousand tons of rolled metal.
“The production campaign at rolling shop No. 2 will begin in the third decade of January and will include the production of channels of various sizes: from 10 to 30,” the statement said.
Coke production in 2024 decreased by 1.2% to 289.1 thousand tons. In December, coke production decreased by 2% compared to November 2024, to 23 thousand tons.
At the same time, DMZ produced 5.2 thousand tons of rolled metal products and 23.9 thousand tons of coke in December 2023.
As reported, in 2023, DMZ increased its output of rolled metal products by 86.2% compared to 2022 – up to 105.6 thousand tons, coke – by 38.5%, up to 292.7 thousand tons.
In 2022, the plant reduced its rolled steel production by 74.2% compared to 2021, to 58.4 thousand tons, and coke production by 56.3%, to 211.3 thousand tons.
DMZ specializes in the production of steel, pig iron, rolled products and products made from them.
On March 1, 2018, DCH Group signed an agreement to buy Dnipro Metallurgical Plant from Evraz.
In 2024, Ukrainian enterprises reduced their consumption of rolled metal products by 6.26% year-on-year to 3 million 288.4 thousand tons.
According to a press release issued by Ukrmetallurgprom on Monday, 1 million 235.4 thousand tons, or 37.57% of the domestic rolled metal consumption market, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in 2024, steelmakers produced 6.222 million tonnes of rolled steel (up 15.8% from 2023), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, approximately 4.169 million tonnes, or 67%, were exported. In 2023, the share of exports was 55.4% (2.985 million tons of total rolled steel production of 5.372 million tons).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries last year amounted to 46.05%, which is significantly higher than a year earlier – 42.04%. At the same time, the share of flat products in export deliveries in 2024 was almost at the level of 2023 – 40.27% and 39.22%, respectively. The share of long products last year was significantly lower than a year earlier, at 14.73% versus 17.69%.
The structure of imports in 2024 is characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (79.61% and 18.83%, respectively). Also in 2023, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant – 81.02% and 18.06%, respectively.
“In 2024, the domestic market capacity amounted to 3,288.4 thousand tons of rolled steel, of which 1,235.4 thousand tons, or 37.57%, were imported. In 2023, the domestic market capacity amounted to 3507.9 thousand tons, of which 1120.9 thousand tons, or 31.95%, were imported. Thus, there is a decrease in the domestic market capacity in 2024 compared to 2023 by 6.26% with a simultaneous increase in the share of the import component by 5.61%,” the press release states.
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled metal products in 2024 are the European Union (70.7%), Africa (10.1%), and other European countries (8.3%).
Other European countries (51.8%) are the leading metallurgical importers in 2024, followed by the EU-27 (27.7%) and Asian countries (19.2%).
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.
In 2024, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises increased their production of total rolled products by 15.8% year-on-year to 6.222 million tons from 5.372 million tons, according to preliminary data.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, steel production increased by 21.6% to 7.575 million tons and pig iron by 18.1% to 7.090 million tons during the period.
In December, the company produced 480.8 thousand tons of rolled products, 547 thousand tons of steel, and 565.4 thousand tons of pig iron, compared to 477 thousand tons of rolled products, 540.8 thousand tons of steel, and 542.9 thousand tons of pig iron in the previous month.
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine increased production of total rolled products by 0.4% compared to 2022 to 5.372 million tons, but reduced steel production by 0.6% to 6.228 million tons, and pig iron by 6.1% to 6.003 million tons.
In 2022, Ukraine reduced production of total rolled products 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 2021, the company produced 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 products (103.5%).
Zaporizhzhia Iron and Steel Works “Zaporizhstal” increased its rolled steel output by 18.1% in 2024 compared to 2023, up to 2 million 426.7 thousand tons from 2 million 54.7 thousand tons.
According to the company’s press release on Thursday, steel production for the period increased by 17.2% to 2 million 890.8 thousand tons, and pig iron by 14.2% to 3 million 106.3 thousand tons.
In December, Zaporizhstal produced 284.7 thousand tons of iron, 245.5 thousand tons of steel, and shipped 234.1 thousand tons of rolled products.
Taras Shevchenko, Acting CEO of Zaporizhstal, stated that in 2024, the plant continued to operate in the face of the proximity of the frontline and the resulting security risks, a significant shortage of personnel due to mobilization and migration, significant energy supply restrictions, the crisis in global markets and stagnation of the domestic steel market, etc.
“It took a lot of effort to keep the plant’s production capacity utilization at an average of 75% and, in addition, to continue support programs for the team, the region and the army. The key focus of Zaporizhstal’s team in 2024 was on finding solutions to improve our own sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness – and, given the disappointing forecasts for 2025, we will continue this work to save the plant and our team,” Shevchenko said.
The press release clarifies that the increase in production in 2024 compared to 2023 is due to higher blast furnace productivity, increased demand for commercial pig iron and the partial restoration of the sea freight export route.
In 2023, the plant operated at an average of 70% of its capacity.
As reported, in 2023, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled products output by 57.2% compared to 2022, up to 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, steel by 65.4%, up to 2 million 466.9 thousand tons, and pig iron by 35.3%, up to 2 million 718.9 thousand tons.
“Zaporizhstal is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine, whose products are in great demand among consumers both in the domestic market and in many countries of the world.
“Zaporizhstal is in the process of integration into Metinvest Group, whose major shareholders are System Capital Management (71.24%) and Smart Holding Group (23.76%).
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
In January-November this year, Ukrainian enterprises reduced consumption of rolled metal products by 7.95% year-on-year to 2 million 995.6 thousand tons.
According to a press release issued by Ukrmetallurgprom on Wednesday, 1 million 135.6 thousand tons, or 37.91% of the domestic rolled steel market, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in January-November 2024, steel companies produced 5.741 million tons of rolled metal products (118% compared to the same period in 2023), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, about 3.881 million tons, or 67.6%, were exported. In January-November 2023, the share of exports amounted to 54.4% (2.664 million tons with a total production of 4.864 million tons of rolled steel).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in January-October 2024 amounted to 46.25%, which is significantly higher than in January-November 2023 (41.79%). The share of flat products in export deliveries for 11 months of 2024 is almost at the level of January-November 2023 (39.04% and 38.46%, respectively). The share of long products is significantly lower than in January-October 2023 (14.71% in 2024 vs. 19.74% in 2023).
“In 11 months of 2024, the domestic market capacity amounted to 3254.2 thousand tons, of which 1034.2 thousand tons, or 31.78%, were imported. Thus, for 11 months of 2024, there was a decrease in the domestic market capacity by 7.95% compared to 11 months of 2023, while the share of the import component increased by 6.13%,” the press release states.
The structure of imports in 11 months of 2024 is still characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (78.87% and 19.52%, respectively); in January-November 2023, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant (75.23% and 23.98%, respectively).
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled steel products in January-November 2024 were the European Union (70.3%), Africa (10.5%) and the rest of Europe (8.1%).
Other European countries ranked first among steel importers in 11 months of 2024 (50.6%), followed by the EU-27 (28.0%) and Asia (20.0%).
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.
