Business news from Ukraine

METINVEST REDUCED PRODUCTION OF STEEL, PIG IRON, COKE IN FIRST QUARTER

“Metinvest”, the largest Ukrainian mining and metallurgical holding, in January-March of this year, reduced steel production by 8% compared to the same period last year, and by 25% compared to the previous quarter – to 1.962 million tons, n pig iron – by 15% and 31%, to 1.828 million tons, the total production of coke – by 33% and 28%, respectively, to 783 thousand tons.
According to a press release from parent company Metinvest B.V. on operating results for the first quarter of 2022, in January-March of this year, the group reduced the total production of iron ore concentrate (IOR) by 3% compared to the same period last year and by 10% quarter-on-quarter to 2.786 million tons, pellets by 35% and increased by 34%, respectively – up to 1.281 million tons, the total production of coking coal concentrate – increased by 29% and reduced by 14%, respectively, to 1.276 million tons.
As reported, according to the results of 2021, Metinvest increased steel production by 15% compared to 2020 – up to 9.533 million tons, pig iron – also by 15%, up to 9.709 million tons, but reduced the total production of coke by 5% – to 4.551 million tons. In 2021, Metinvest increased the total production of iron ore concentrate (IRO) by 3% compared to the previous year – up to 31.341 million tons, pellets by 18% – up to 5.811 million tons and the total production of coking coal concentrate – by 92%, up to 5.542 million tons.
Metinvest is a vertically integrated mining group of companies that manages assets in every link of the production chain from iron ore and coal mining and coke production to the production of semi-finished products and finished products from steel, pipes and coils, as well as the production of other high value-added products. The group consists of mining and metallurgical enterprises located in Ukraine, Europe and the USA, has a sales network covering all key global markets.
Metinvest’s main shareholders are the SCM group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage the company.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of the Metinvest group.

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PRODUCTION OF ŠKODA CARS IN UKRAINE WILL RESUME IN JUNE

The Eurocar plant (Solomonovo, Transcarpathian region) will resume production of ŠKODA cars from June this year, which was suspended with the start of Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, the company’s press service reported.
“The Eurocar company, the official distributor of ŠKODA cars in Ukraine, announces the resumption of taking orders and production. The Eurocar plant in Transcarpathia will start working again in June,” the distributor’s website said on Thursday.
Prices and configurations of cars available for order are posted on the distributor’s website, the official delivery time is up to 280 days, but in fact it will depend on the number of orders in the queue and may be less. Vehicles in stock that were in stock until February 24th are also available for purchase.
“ŠKODA dealerships work depending on the situation in the regions where they are located. The warranty for cars during martial law in Ukraine is maintained in case of untimely completion of scheduled maintenance, provided that the level of technical fluids is observed,” the message says.
The Eurocar plant, the official manufacturer of Škoda cars in Ukraine, began producing cars in 2001, investments in the creation of the plant amounted to $250 million. Capacities for small-scale assembly of cars were created, buildings for welding and painting shops were built.
According to the Ukravtoprom association, in 2021 the plant assembled 3,476 vehicles, which is 2.7% more than a year earlier.
As reported, at present, the Eurocar plant operates as a humanitarian logistics hub, as well as a center for helping employees, with the involvement of a network of contacts of foreign partners as external support.
According to the data of the National Commission for Securities and Stock Market (NSSMC), as of the fourth quarter of 2021, more than 68.84% of the shares of Eurocar JSC are owned by Atoll Holding JSC, the beneficiary-controller of which is Oleg Boyarin, another 20% are owned by LLC “Prostir Capital” (Kyiv), 10% – Polish “Iberia Motor Company”.

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DARNITSA LAUNCHES PRODUCTION OF DRUGS AGAINST RADIATION

Darnitsa pharmaceutical company (Kyiv), within the framework of cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the National Security and Defense Council, has registered and produced the drug Potassium Iodide-125-Darnitsa, designed to protect people from radiation, Dmytro Shymkiv, the chairman of the board of directors of Darnitsa Group, wrote about this on Facebook.
He said that the drug was created in accordance with the regulations for iodine prophylaxis in the event of a radiation accident.
In addition, Shymkiv said that last week Darnitsa donated 525,000 packages (5.25 million tablets) from the first batch of Potassium Iodide-125-Darnitsa to the public health center of the Ministry of Health for free. This will make it possible to carry out iodine prophylaxis if necessary for more than 5 million people.
Potassium iodide is used to protect the thyroid from radiation buildup. The risk of radiation damage to the thyroid gland can be reduced or even leveled with the timely appointment of iodine prophylaxis. The optimal effect of iodine prophylaxis is achieved with preventive intake of potassium iodide for 6 hours or less, as well as simultaneously with the intake of radioactive isotopes of iodine or entering the contaminated zone.

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NFP INCREASES PRODUCTION BY 15.5% IN JAN-MARCH

Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant (NFP, Dnipropetrovsk region) in January-March of this year increased its output by 15.5% compared to the same period last year, to 148,930 tonnes.
As the Ukrainian Association of Producers of Ferroalloys and Other Electrometallurgical Products (UkrFA) told Interfax-Ukraine, over three months NFP increased production of silicon manganese by 22.7%, to 143,480 tonnes, but reduced ferromanganese and other ferroalloys – by 54.7%, to 5,450 tonnes (including 4,970 tonnes of ferromanganese).
Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant is Ukraine’s largest ferroalloy smelter. It uses imported and domestic raw materials for production of ferroalloys.
Nikopol plant is controlled by EastOne Group, established in autumn 2007 as a result of restructuring of Interpipe Group, and Privat Group, both based in Dnipro.

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BEER PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE DECREASES BY 50% IN Q1

Production of beer in Ukraine in January-March 2022 decreased by 49.9% compared to the same period in 2021, to 17.1 million decalitres.
According to the Ukrpyvo branch organization of breweries, at the same time, malt production in the first quarter decreased by 40.8% – to 32,800 tonnes.
The organization’s website does not contain data on beer production for February 2022. At the same time, it is indicated that in January of this year, 9.4 million decalitres were produced, 55% of production volumes for the first quarter of 2022.
As reported, in 2021 Ukraine produced 5% less beer compared to 2020 – 170.5 million decalitres, and in 2020 its production decreased by 0.4% compared to 2019 – to 179.7 million decalitres.
Malt production in 2021 amounted to 218,500 tonnes, which is 19.5% less than in 2020. At the same time, the year before last, its production decreased by 18% compared to 2019, to 275,000 tonnes.

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ARCELORMITTAL KRYVYI RIH RESUMES PRODUCTION, SHIPMENTS DUE TO COOPERATION WITH UKRZALIZNYTSIA, GOVT ASSISTANCE

PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region) has resumed production and begins shipping to foreign consumers thanks to cooperation with Ukrzaliznytsia and attention to the enterprise from the government of the country.
According to head of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia Oleksandr Kamyshin, the railway continues to work according to the schedule, and now ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is joining the work on schedule, which resumes work and launches the first furnace.
“Together with the railway team today at the plant we are meeting the first tonne of commercial pig iron. Let me remind you that three weeks ago, together with Minister of Infrastructure (Oleksandr) Kubrakov and First Deputy Prime Minister (Yulia) Svyrydenko, we were already in Kryvy Rih and we discussed with the management of the steel plant how the railway can help launch the plant. I am glad to be with the team of the steel plant at such a historic moment today. Let me remind you that the last time the Kryvy Rih iron and steel works was launched immediately after the Second World War,” the head of Ukrzaliznytsia wrote.
At the same time, he noted that the workers of the metallurgical plant receive work, “and, therefore, wages, the economy – taxes, and the railway – the same tonne of cargo that we have always fought for.”
In turn, General Director of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih Mauro Longobardo, in an interview with the Kryvy Rih television company, noted that after the suspension of the enterprise’s activities due to hostilities, work in the mining sector continued at 30% of normal capacity. At the same time, work was suspended in the underground mine of the plant due to fear of a sudden power outage.

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