“Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest mining and metals holding, increased steel production by 5% year-on-year to 1.610 million tonnes and pig iron production by 2% to 1.367 million tonnes in January-September this year, but reduced total coke production by 11% to 846 thousand tonnes.
According to the press release of the parent company Metinvest B.V. on the operating results for 9M2024, due to the start of Russia’s large-scale military aggression against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the group’s Ukrainian enterprises (except for those located in Mariupol and Avdiivka) continue to operate at different levels of utilization due to security, staff availability, electricity supply, as well as logistical and economic factors.
At the same time, in the third quarter of 2024, pig iron and steel production at Kametstal remained almost at the level of the previous quarter and amounted to 483 thousand tons and 568 thousand tons, respectively.
In the first nine months of 2024, steel production increased due to an increase in the order book for steel products.
In the third quarter, production of finished products decreased by 19% quarter-on-quarter to 491 thousand tons. In particular, flat products production decreased by 29% to 185 thousand tonnes, which was driven by several factors: first, the irregular operation of Ferriera Valider (Italy), which depends on marginal orders amid unfavorable European market conditions; and second, the scheduled overhaul of the rolling mills in Italy and the UK in August.
Production of long products decreased by 11% to 306 thousand tons due to the scheduled shutdown of Promet Steel (Bulgaria) for overhaul in August.
In January-September 2024, production of finished products decreased by 3% compared to the same period in 2023, to 1.678 million tons. In particular, flat products production decreased by 14% to 729 thousand tonnes over the nine months due to unfavorable conditions in the European market, which resulted in the absence of marginal orders for hot-rolled coils and a decrease in the order book for hot-rolled plates. At the same time, production of galvanized cold-rolled coils increased by 65% as Unisteel’s 4th inductor in Ukraine resumed operations after it was shut down for overhaul in Q2 last year.
Production of long products increased by 8% to 949 thousand tons due to an increase in the order book for Kametstal and Promet Steel products.
In the third quarter of 2024, coke production remained at the level of the previous quarter and amounted to 282 thousand tons.
In 9M2024, coke production decreased by 11% year-on-year due to the shutdown of some coking chambers at Kametstal’s coke oven battery No. 1 in early 2024.
“Metinvest comprises mining and steel production facilities located in Ukraine, Europe and the United States. Its major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage it.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
In June this year, Ukrainian steelmakers increased steel production to 735 thousand tons, up 68.4% year-on-year (436 thousand tons), but down 0.4% from the previous month, when they produced 738 thousand tons.
At the same time, Ukraine took 20th place in the ranking of 71 countries that are global producers of this product, compiled by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel).
The top ten steel-producing countries in June are as follows: China (91.610 million tons, up 0.2% by June 2023), India (12.258 million tons, up 6%), Japan (7.022 million tons, down 4.2%), USA (6.659 million tons, minus 1.5%), Russian Federation (6.030 million tons, down 4.1%), South Korea (5.132 million tons, down 7.2%), Germany (3.187 million tons, up 8.9%), Turkey (3.071 million tons, up 4.3%), Brazil (2.874 million tons, up 11.8%) and Iran (2.612 million tons, down 8.5%).
In total, in June 2024, steel production increased by 0.5% compared to the same period in 2023 to 161.399 million tons.
In January-June 2014, the top ten steel producing countries were as follows: China (530.570 million tons, down 1.1% compared to January-June 2023), India (74.184 million tons, up 7.4%), Japan (42.696 million tons, down 2.6%), the United States (39.960 million tons, down 2.4%), and the Russian Federation (36.815 million tons, down 3%), South Korea (31.526 million tons, down 6.4%), Germany (19.360 million tons, up 4.5%), Turkey (18.615 million tons, up 16.9%), Iran (16.647 million tons, up 5.9%) and Brazil (16.433 million tons, up 2.4%).
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-May this year increased production of total rolled products by 29.5% year-on-year to 2.568 million tons from 1.982 million tons, according to preliminary data.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom on Friday evening, steel production increased by 31.2% over the period to January-May 2023, to 3.139 million tons from 2.392 million tons.
Pig iron production increased by 20.8% to 2.839 million tons from 2.350 million tons.
As reported earlier, in January-2024, Ukraine increased production of total rolled products by 75.9% year-on-year to 453 thousand tons from 257 thousand tons, steel by 91.6% to 544 thousand tons from 284 thousand tons, and pig iron by 44.5% to 555 thousand tons from 384 thousand tons.
In January-February 2024, rolled steel output increased by 52.5% year-on-year to 900 thousand tons from 590 thousand tons, steel output by 52% to 1.076 million tons from 708 thousand tons, and pig iron output by 42.5% to 1.050 million tons from 737 thousand tons.
In the first quarter of 2024, the company increased production of total rolled products by 35.5% to 1.389 million tons, steel by 36.6% to 1.687 million tons, and pig iron by 32.1% to 1.589 million tons.
In January-April 2024, production of total rolled products increased by 30.5% to 1.973 million tons from 1.512 million tons, steel by 32.8% to 2.402 million tons from 1.809 million tons, and pig iron by 25.1% to 2.186 million tons from 1.747 million tons.
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%).
Metinvest Group’s Kametstal plant, which was built at the facilities of Dnipro Metallurgical Plant (DMK, Kamianske, Dnipro region), is expanding the range of steel that can be smelted using economical technology with preheating of scrap metal.
According to the company, the peculiarity of the efficient preheated smelting technology is that immediately after scrap metal is fed into the converter, before liquid iron is poured, the scrap is heated with oxygen and using gas coal. This makes it possible to increase the use of scrap metal, which reduces the consumption of liquid iron in steel production and thus its cost.
It is noted that to develop and implement this technology in Kametstal’s BOF Shop, the smelting parameters were carefully selected, the amount of oxygen and gas coal for heating was determined, as well as the optimal scrap heating modes to prevent the formation of a liquid phase during pig iron pouring and the modes of smelting blowdown.
“The proven technology has already proved its economic efficiency in compliance with the parameters and requirements for the quality of steel produced in the converter. Therefore, steelmakers continue to develop and improve their achievement, systematically increasing the share of melts with scrap preheating and reducing the consumption of liquid iron during steelmaking,” the information summarizes.
“Kametstal was established on the basis of Dnipro Coke and Chemical Plant (DKKhZ) and Central Steel Works (DMK).
According to the 2020 report of Metinvest Group’s parent company, Metinvest B.V. (Netherlands) owned 100% of the shares in DCCP.
“In January-March this year, Metinvest reduced steel production by 4% year-on-year and by 5% quarter-on-quarter to 469 thousand tons, according to a press release from the parent company Metinvest B.V.
According to the release, pig iron production decreased by 10% compared to Q1-2023 and by 5% compared to Q4-2023, to 448 thousand tons, and coke production by 11% and 3%, respectively, to 283 thousand tons. In particular, in 1Q2024, Kametstal produced 403 thousand tons of pig iron and 469 thousand tons of crude steel, which is lower than in 2023 and is mainly due to the shutdown of blast furnace No. 9 for scheduled overhaul in March 2024.
In 1Q2024, the output of semi-finished products amounted to 166 thousand tons, down 5% compared to 1Q2023 and 41% quarter-on-quarter, mainly due to the shutdown of BF-9 at Kametstal for repairs, as well as an increase in domestic consumption at downstream stages.
In the first quarter of 2024, finished product output increased by 4% quarter-on-quarter and by 8% year-on-year to 584 thousand tons. At the same time, flat products output increased by 12% compared to Q1-2014, but decreased by 1% compared to Q4-2013, to 282 thousand tonnes, due to an increase in the order book at rolling mills in Italy and the UK, while long products output decreased by 3% compared to Q1-2013, and increased by 17% compared to Q4-2014, to 302 thousand tonnes.
In particular, hot-rolled plate output increased by 8% year-on-year to 253 kt due to a shift in the order book in favor of these products at Ferriera Valider in Italy; galvanized cold-rolled coil output doubled year-on-year to 29 kt. tonnes due to the resumption of galvanized cold-rolled steel production in Italy; production of galvanized cold-rolled coils doubled year-on-year to 29 thousand tonnes. kt due to the resumption of production at Unisteel in Ukraine amid more stable electricity supplies in the first quarter of 2024 than in the first quarter of 2023; long products output increased by 17% as billet production at Kametstal stabilized and supplies to Promet Steel in Bulgaria returned to normal.
It should be noted that on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. The Group’s plants in Ukraine, except for Mariupol and Avdiivka, continue to operate at different levels of capacity utilization, taking into account safety, personnel, electricity, logistics and economic factors.
In the first quarter of 2024, coke production decreased by 11% year-on-year and by 3% quarter-on-quarter to 283 thousand tons after some cells of coke oven battery No. 1 at KAMETSTAL were shut down.
It is also reported that Metinvest increased its total production of iron ore concentrate by 2.1 times year-on-year to 4.859 million tons in January-March 2024, pellets by 31% to 1.585 million tons, and total coking coal concentrate production decreased by 26% to 1.086 million tons.
“As a result, in the first quarter of 2024, iron ore production increased by 36% quarter-on-quarter to 4.859 million tons; production of commercial iron ore products increased by 41% quarter-on-quarter to 4.403 million tons; production of saleable iron ore concentrate increased by 53% quarter-on-quarter to 2.818 million tons; production of saleable pellets increased by 23% quarter-on-quarter to 1.585 million tons, partly due to increased orders for pellets,” the press release states.
The unblocking of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea and an increase in the order book for pellets had the following effects in 1Q2024 compared to 1Q2023: gross iron ore concentrate output increased by 2.2 times, commercial iron ore products by 2.3 times, commercial iron ore concentrate by 4 times, and commercial pellets by 31%, the report says.
The press release explains that the Group’s decrease in coal concentrate output by 4% quarter-on-quarter and 26% year-on-year was due to a 6% drop in production at Metinvest Pokrovskugol in Q4 2021 and a 9% drop in production in Q1 2021, to 640 thousand tons, and a deterioration in the quality of coking coal and a decline in production. At the same time, the production of coal concentrate at United Coal (USA) remained almost at the same level as in the previous quarter – 446 thousand tons, but decreased by 41% due to the downtime of the Carter Roag mine and a decrease in production at some Wellmore mines.
As reported, in 2023, Metinvest increased its total production of iron ore concentrate by 4% compared to 2022 to 11.092 million tons, pellets by 66% to 5.283 million tons, and total coking coal concentrate production increased by 10% to 5.455 million tons.
In 2023, the Group decreased steel production by 31% compared to 2022 to 2.025 million tons, pig iron by 36% to 1.765 million tons, and coke by 25% to 1.241 million tons.
“Metinvest comprises mining and metallurgical enterprises located in Ukraine, Europe and the United States. Metinvest’s major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage the company. Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
“Metinvest Group comprises mining and metallurgical enterprises located in Ukraine, Europe and the USA.
The major shareholders of Metinvest are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage the company.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Metallurgical enterprises of Ukraine in March of this year increased steel production by 15.8% compared to the same period in 2023 – to 611 thousand tons from 527 thousand tons.
At the same time, Ukraine took 21st place in the ranking of 71 countries – global producers of these products, compiled by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel).
According to Worldsteel, in March an increase in steel production was recorded by March 2023 in most countries of the top ten, except China, Japan and South Korea.
The top ten steel-producing countries at the end of March are as follows: China (88.270 million tons, a decrease of 7.8% compared to March 2023), India (12.709 million tons, an increase of 7.8%), Japan (7.197 million tons , decrease by 3.9%), USA (6.906 million tons, at the level of March 2023), Russia (6.640 million tons, increase by 0.8%), South Korea (5.282 million tons, down by 9.5%) , Germany (3.510 million tons, up 8.4%), Turkey (3.202 million tons, up 18%), Brazil (2.787 million tons, up 5.6%) and Iran (2.774 million tons, up 2 %).
In total, in March 2024, steel production decreased by 4.3% compared to the same period in 2023 – to 161.190 million tons.
In January-March 2024, the top ten steel producing countries are as follows: China (256.550 million tons, a decrease of 1.9% compared to January-March 2023), India (37.327 million tons, an increase of 9.7%), Japan ( 21.452 million tons, down 0.8%), USA (19.936 million tons, down 1.6%), Russia (18.680 million tons, down 0.2%), South Korea (16.245 million tons, down 2 .5%), Germany (9.704 million tons, an increase of 6%), Turkey (9.533 million tons, an increase of 28.4%), Brazil (8.293 million tons, an increase of 6.2%) and Iran (7.616 million tons , higher by 16.3%).
In general, over the 3 months of 2024, steel production increased by 0.5% compared to the same period in 2023 – to 469.060 million tons.
At the same time, Ukraine produced 1.687 million tons of steel in 3 months of 2024, which is 36.6% higher than the volumes for the same period in 2023 (for 3 months of 2023 – 1.235 million tons). The country is in 22nd place based on the results of 3 months – 2024.
As reported, in 2023, China produced 1 billion 19.080 million tons at the level of the previous year), India (140.171 million tons, +11.8%), Japan (86.996 million tons, -2.5%), USA (80.664 million tons , +0.2%), Russia (75.8 million tons, +5.6%), South Korea (66.676 million tons, +1.3%), Germany (35.438 million tons, -3.9%), Turkey (33.714 million tons, -4%), Brazil (31.869 million tons, -6.5%) and Iran (31.139 million tons, +1.8%).
In total, 71 countries produced 1 billion 849.734 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.1% less than in 2022.
At the same time, Ukraine produced 6.228 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.6% lower than the volumes for 2022. The country is in 22nd place by the end of 2023.
At the end of 2022, the top ten steel producing countries looked like this: China (1.013 billion tons, -2.1%), India (124.720 million tons, +5.5%), Japan (89.235 million tons, -7.4 %), USA (80.715 million tons, -5.9%), Russia (71.5 million tons, -7.2%), South Korea (65.865 million tons, -6.5%), Germany (36.849 million tons , -8.4%), Turkey (35.134 million tons, -12.9%), Brazil (33.972 million tons, -5.8%) and Iran (30.593 million tons, +8%).
At the end of 2022, Ukraine took 23rd place with the production of 6.263 million tons of steel (-70.7%).
In total, in 2022, 64 countries produced 1 billion 831.467 million tons of steel, which is 4.3% less than in 2021.
