Ukrainian metal and mining enterprises in January-September 2018 tentatively increased rolled steel output by 3% year-over-year, to 13.844 million tonnes. According to the Ukrmetallurgprom association, steel smelting grew by 1%, to 15.767 million tonnes, and cast iron output increased by 5%, to 15.288 million tonnes.
The production figures of enterprises in January-September 2018 were higher in comparison with the same period in 2017 not taking into account two months of work of the enterprises in the Ukrainian government’s uncontrolled area: rolled steel output grew by 6%, steel – by 4%, and cast iron – by 9%. In September 2018, Ukrainian metal companies produced 1.657 million tonnes of cast iron (96.3% to the previous month), 1.787 million tonnes of steel (100%), and 1.57 million tonnes of rolled steel (103%).
As reported, Ukrainian metal and mining enterprises in 2017, taking into account the two months of operation of the enterprises on the government uncontrolled areas, reduced steel output by 12% year-over-year, to 21.284 million tonnes, rolled steel – by 14%, to 18.439 million tonnes, and cast iron – by 15%, to 20.035 million tonnes. In 2016, Ukraine boosted steel output by 6% year-over-year, to 24.2 million tonnes, cast iron – by 8%, to 23.6 million tonnes, and rolled steel – by 6%, to 21.4 million tonnes.
Ukrainian enterprises increased the consumption of rolled metal by 4.64% in January-August 2018 compared to the same period of 2017, to 3.138 million tonnes.
According to statistics released by the Ukrmetallurgprom association, in January-August 2018, 948,500 tonnes were imported.
“In January-August 2018, the growth of metal consumption in the domestic market amounted to 4.64% compared to January-August 2017, with the outpacing growth of the import component (14.62%),” the association said in a press release.
According to the Ukrmetallurgprom, over the eight months ending August 2018, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises produced 12.27 million tonnes of rolled metal products (104% compared to the same period in 2017, taking into account the activities in non-government controlled areas, or 108%, without taking them into account in January-February 2017) of which, according to the state-owned enterprise Derzhanalitinform, about 10.1 million tonnes or 82.2% was exported. This is slightly higher than in the same period in 2017, the share of exports in which amounted to 81.6% (9.62 million tonnes, with a total metal production of 11.79 million tonnes).
The share of semi-finished products in exports for the eight months amounted to 43.94%, which exceeds the figure for the period January-August last year (39.83%).
The main export markets of Ukrainian metal products in January-August 2018, according to Derzhanalitinform, are the countries of the European Union (33.4%), Africa (16.9%), other European countries, including Turkey (13.5%) and countries of the Middle East (11%).
Among metallurgical importers in January-August 2018, the first place is occupied by the CIS (56.6%), the second is shared by Asian countries (18.7%) and the European Union (18.3%).
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises boosted total rolled steel production by 4% in January-August 2018 year-over-year, to 12.265 million tonnes.
Steel output increased by 2%, to 14 million tonnes, that of pig iron by 7%, to 13.645 million tonnes, the Ukrmetprom Association said on Tuesday.
At the same time, relative indicators of output in January-August 2018 compared to January-August 2017 excluding two months’ work of enterprises in uncontrolled territories in eastern Ukraine were higher: the output of rolled steel increased by 8%, that of steel by 5%, and pig iron by 11%.
In August 2018, Ukraine’s metallurgy produced 1.733 million tonnes of pig iron (98% as compared to July 2018), 1.806 million tonnes of steel (99.5%), 1.515 million tonnes of rolled steel (101%).
In 2017, Ukraine reduced steel production by 12% from 2016, to 21.284 million tonnes, while production of rolled steel was 18.439 million tonnes (a 14% decline) and that of pig iron was 20.035 million tonnes (a 15% decline).
Ukrainian metal and mining enterprises in January-June 2018 boosted rolled steel output by 5% year-over-year, to 9.247 million tonnes. According to the Ukrmetalurgprom association, steel smelting grew by 1%, to 10.347 million tonnes, and cast iron output increased by 8%, to 10.151 million tonnes. The production figures of enterprises in January-June 2018 were higher in comparison with the same period in 2017 not taking into account two months of work of the enterprises in the Ukrainian government’s uncontrolled area: rolled steel output grew by 10%, steel – by 5%, and cast iron – by 14%.
In June 2018, Ukrainian metal companies produced 1.631 million tonnes of cast iron (103% to the previous month), 1.669 million tonnes of steel (98%), and 1.524 million tonnes of rolled steel (98%).
“Despite the loss of a part of assets located in the uncontrolled area, the metal and mining enterprises in the territory controlled by the government in H1, 2018, increased the production of cast iron, steel and rolled steel to the results which are higher than in the same period last year,” the association said.
As reported, Ukrainian metal and mining enterprises in 2017, taking into account the two months of operation of the enterprises on the government uncontrolled areas, reduced steel output by 12% year-over-year, to 21.284 million tonnes, rolled steel – by 14%, to 18.439 million tonnes, and cast iron – by 15%, to 20.035 million tonnes,
In 2016, Ukraine boosted steel output by 6% year-over-year, to 24.2 million tonnes, cast iron – by 8%, to 23.6 million tonnes, and rolled steel – by 6%, to 21.4 million tonnes.
Ukrainian enterprises in January-May 2018 boosted rolled steel consumption by 10.9% year-over-year, to 1.842 million tonnes (1.661 million tonnes in January-May 2017). In January-May 2018, some 545,800 tonnes of rolled products were imported, which was 29.6% of domestic consumption, the Ukrmetprom Association has said.
In the same period of 2017, imports of rolled steel totaled 453,000 tonnes (27.3%).
“Thus, the share of the import component grew by 20.5% in the five months of 2018 amid an increase in the consumption of rolled metal in the domestic market by 10.9% compared to January-May 2017,” the association said in a press release.
Bars and rods are still prevalent the structure of the imports in the five months compared to flat-rolled products in contrast to the same period in 2017: the share of flat-rolled goods in January-May-2017 was 61.8% versus 47.2% the same period of 2018, while the share of bars and rods was 37% and 49.6%, respectively.
“First and foremost, this is due to the loss of PJSC Yenakiyeve Metallurgical Plant [in Russian-occupied Donbas], and the deficit is offset by imports,” the press release said.
Ukrainian metal companies produced 7.72 million tonnes of rolled metal in the five months of 2018 (105% compared to the same period in 2017, taking into account production in occupied Donbas in January-February-2017, or 111% without taking that territory into account), Ukrmetprom said. Of the output, about 6.43 million tonnes, or 83.2%, was exported, according to the State enterprise Information-Analytic Agency (StateAnalitInform). This roughly corresponds to the same period in 2017, when the share of exports was 83.6% (6.17 million tonnes with total rolled metal production being 7.39 million tonnes).
The share of semi-finished products in export shipments was 42.2%, which also corresponds to the period January-May 2017 (42.1%). The share of flat products (34% and 33.4%, respectively) and bars and rods (23.8% and 24.5%, respectively) are comparable with the same period of 2017.
The main export markets for Ukrainian steel products in January-May 2018, according to StateAnalitInform, were the countries of the European Union (34.8%), Africa (15.8%), other European countries, including Turkey (13.1% ), as well as countries in the Middle East (11.4%).
The main importers of metal products in the five months of 2018 were the CIS (59.6%), Asia (19.1%) and the EU’s 28 member states (15.9%).
Ukrainian metal and mining enterprises in January-April 2018 boosted rolled steel output by 1% year-over-year, to 6.072 million tonnes. According to the Ukrmetalurgprom association, if the production figures are compared, taking into account two months of operation of the enterprises in 2017 in the government uncontrolled areas (before losing control over them), steel smelting fell by 1.4%, to 6.913 million tonnes, and cast iron output grew by 8.9%, to 6.885 million tonnes.
If the production figures of enterprises in the government uncontrolled areas are not taken into account, rolled steel output grew by 8%, steel – by 5% and cast iron – by 18%.
In April 2018, Ukrainian metal companies produced 1.639 million tonnes of cast iron (98% to the previous month), 1.687 million tonnes of steep (99%) and 1.479 million tonnes of rolled steel (98%).
“A slight reduction in production of the key types of products in April compared with the previous month is linked to repair works at some facilities,” the association said.
