Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises are expected to increase steel production by 4% by the end of the year compared to 2018, up to 21.895 million tonnes.
According to background documents of Economic Development and Trade Ministry available for Interfax-Ukraine, a total rolled steel output will see 3% rise by the end of 2019, up to 18.937 million tonnes, when pig iron will see 0.4% down, to 20.748 million tonnes.
Such forecast was made following the performance indicator of January-July 2019, the ministry said.
The agency’s source in the ministry also said that under ongoing trends scrap metals supplies to the enterprises would decrease by 3%, to 3.238 million tonnes.
Besides, pipe output in 2019 may grow by 19%, to 1.144 million tonnes, coke output will drop by 5%, to 10.305 million tonnes, metalware output will drop by 1%, to 186,000 tonnes.
Meanwhile, the metal and mining enterprise can increase iron ore extraction by 4%, to 76.095 million tonnes, iron ore concentrate output by 5%, to 63.568 million tonnes, ready iron ore raw materials may increase by 1%, to 53.696 million tonnes. Sinter cake output will remain on the level of previous year with 31.706 million tonnes, steel pellets output will increase by 3% reaching 21.989 million tonnes.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises intend to increase steel production by 2.8% in September 2019 in comparison with the planned figures for August, to 1.85 million tonnes from 1.8 million tonnes.
According to information from the Ukrmetalurgprom association, the plan for September also envisages decrease in pig iron production by 2.8%, down to 1.75 million tonnes from 1.8 million tonnes and an increase of total rolled steel production by 3.1% compared to the previous forecast for August, to 1.65 million tonnes from 1.6 million tonnes.
Ukraine in January-July 2019 produced iron ore concentrate in the amount of 36.92 million tonnes (105% against the same period in 2018), sinter some 18.42 million tonnes (101%), pellets some 12.77 million tonnes (102%), gross coke (6% moisture) some 5.99 million tonnes (95%), pig iron some 11.89 million tonnes (99.8%), steel some 11 million tonnes (104%), rolled products some 11 million tonnes (102%), and pipes some 0.67 million tonnes (103%), according to the updated data.
In July pig iron production stood at 1.65 million tonnes (108% from June 2019), that of steel some 1.78 million tonnes (108%), and rolled goods some 1.51 million tonnes (101%).
As of August 13 this year, 17 out of 21 blast furnaces, eight out of nine open-hearth furnaces, 14 out of 16 converters, five out of 15 electric furnaces and 15 out of 15 continuous casting machines were in operation.
In July 2019, the metallurgical enterprises received nearly 2.4 million of iron ore concentrate (118% if to compare with June 2019), thus none of iron ore concentrate imported last months.
In July 2019, scrap collectors stored 192,000 of scrap iron (59% to June 2019), the total volume was supplied to the domestic enterprises. None of scrap iron was exported last month.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in May 2019 increased steel production by 7.8% compared to the same period in 2018, to 1.827 million tonnes, stepping down from 12th place to the 13th in the ranking of 64 countries, the major global manufacturers of these products, compiled by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel). An increase in steel production in most of the top ten countries, except for Japan, Russia, Germany, and Turkey was recorded in May.
The top ten producer countries in May are as follows: China (89.091 million tonnes, an increase of 10%), India (9.196 million tonnes, an increase of 5.1%), Japan (8.676 million tonnes, a decline of 4.6%), the United States (7.653 million tonnes, an increase of 5.4%), South Korea (6.371 million tonnes, an increase of 2.2%), the Russian Federation (5.95 million tonnes, a decrease of 2.7%), Germany (3.47 million tonnes, a drop of 6.2%), Turkey (3.063 million tonnes, a decrease of 8%), Brazil (2.751 million tonnes, an increase of 2.9%), and Iran (2.235 million tonnes, an increase of 3.8%).
They are followed by Italy (2.215 million tonnes, a growth of 1.1%), Taiwan (China, 2.04 million tonnes, a decrease of 2.6%) and Ukraine (1.827 million tonnes, an increase of 7.8%).
In May, 64 countries produced 162.744 million tonnes of steel, which is 5.4% more than in May 2018.
In January-May 2019, 64 countries produced 764.072 million tonnes of steel, which is 5% more than in the same period last year.
Ukrainian metal and mining enterprises in January-March 2019 tentatively increased rolled steel output by 1.3% year-over-year, to 4.727 million tonnes.
According to the Ukrmetallurgprom association, steel smelting grew by 4.5%, to 5.498 million tonnes, while cast iron output decreased by 2.1%, to 5.178 million tonnes.
In March 2019, Ukrainian metal companies produced 1.799 million tonnes of cast iron (114.7% to the previous month), 1.958 million tonnes of steel (116.1%), and 1.644 million tonnes of rolled steel (111.4%).
As reported, Ukrainian metal and mining enterprises in 2018 tentatively increased rolled steel output by 1% year-over-year, to 18.446 million tonnes. Steel smelting fell by 2%, to 21.06 million tonnes, and cast iron output increased by 2%, to 20.531 million tonnes.
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.