In January-April this year, Ukrainian enterprises reduced consumption of rolled metal products by 13.89% year-on-year to 1 million 6.6 thousand tons.
According to a press release from Ukrmetallurgprom, 351.6 thousand tons, or 34.93% of the domestic rolled metal consumption market, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in January-April 2024, steel companies produced 1.973 million tonnes of rolled metal products (130.5% compared to the same period in 2023), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, about 1.318 million tonnes, or 66.8%, were exported. In January-April 2023, the share of exports amounted to 42.9% (634 thousand tons with a total production of 1.512 million tons of rolled steel).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in January-April 2024 was 45.45%, which is significantly lower than in January-April 2023 (49.37%). The share of flat products in export deliveries in the first four months of 2024 is significantly higher than in January-April 2023 (40.36% and 28.86%, respectively). The share of long products is significantly lower than in January-April 2023 (14.19% in 2024 vs. 21.77% in 2023).
“In the first four months of 2024, the domestic market capacity amounted to 1 million 6.6 thousand tons of rolled steel, of which 351.6 thousand tons, or 34.93%, were imported. In January-April 2023, the domestic market capacity amounted to 1.169 million tons, of which 291 thousand tons, or 24.89%, were imported. Thus, in the first four months of 2024, there was a decrease in the domestic market capacity by 13.89% compared to the first four months of 2023, with a simultaneous increase in the share of the import component by 10.04%,” the press release states.
The structure of imports for the first four months of 2024 is still characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (82.88% and 15.27%, respectively); in January-April 2023, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant (79.86% and 18.97%, respectively).
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled steel products in January-April were the European Union (81.6%), the rest of Europe (5.6%) and South America (4.5%).
Other European countries ranked first among metallurgical importers in the period under review (44.5%), followed by the EU-27 (37.9%) and Asia (16.7%).
As reported, Ukraine’s rolled metal market grew 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 rolled steel consumption market.
In 2023, Ukrainian steelmakers produced 5.37 million tons of rolled metal products (100.4% compared to 2022), of which, according to the UAVtormet Expert and Scientific Council, about 2.99 million tons, or 55.6%, were exported.
In 2022, the share of exports amounted to 81.7% (4.37 million tons with a total production of 5.35 million tons of rolled metal products).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in 2023 was 40.30%, which is significantly lower than in the same period in 2022 (43.45%). The share of flat products in exports for the year is also significantly higher than a year earlier (40.41% and 36.34%, respectively). At the same time, the share of long products is comparable to the figure for the previous similar reporting period (19.53% in 2023 vs. 20.21% in 2022).
In 2023, the domestic market capacity amounted to 3,505.6 thousand tons of rolled steel, of which 1,118.6 thousand tons, or 31.91%, were imported. In 2022, the domestic market capacity amounted to 1598.6 thousand tons, of which 621.6 thousand tons, or 38.88%, were imported. Thus, in 2023, there was an increase in the domestic market capacity by 119.29% compared to 2022, while the share of the import component decreased by 6.98%.
The structure of imports last year was still characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (76.08% and 23.87%, respectively); in 2022, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant (68.69% and 30.41%, respectively).
According to UAVtormet, the main export markets for Ukrainian steel products in 2023 were the EU (82%) and the rest of Europe (7.5%).
Among metallurgical importers in 2023, the first place was occupied by other European countries (42.4%), the second by the EU-27 (37.3%), and the third by Asian countries (18.2%).
