Ukrainian steel output decreased by one third in August

Photo: Reuters

Steel output in Ukraine dropped by one third in August and by 6-11% depending on type of metal in January – August 2014. The output of total rolled metal dropped by 11% to 17.340 mn t over the specified period, cast iron – by 6% to 18.203 mn t, informed METALURGPROM (Dnipropetrovsk).

In August, metallurgical plants produced 1.646 mn t of steel, 1.491 mn t of rolled metal and 1.503 mn t of cast iron, while in July - 2.463 mn t of steel (down by 33.2% against July), when rolled metal output amounted to 2.195 mn t, which is less than 32.1%, and 2.245 mn t of cast iron (less than 33.1%).

During eight months this year, the pipe production decreased by 14% to 982,000 t, coke – by 11% to 10.554 mn t. At that, the pipe production decreased by 60.1% to 59,000 t in August compared with the previous month (147,000 t in July), coke – by 42.3% to 741,000 t (1.285 mn t).

Initially, metallurgical companies were planning to increase steel output by approximately 5.6% to 34.5 mn t compared with the previous year, rolled metal – by 5% to 30.5 mn t, cast iron – by 3.1% to 30 mn t. However, a number of steelworks were forced to suspend their operation due to power outages and shortage of raw materials and coke as a result of combat actions in the east of Ukraine.

As a reminder, in 2013 metallurgical enterprises of the country increased steel output by 1% to 32.684 mn t compared with 2012, while the output of rolled metal remained at the level of the previous year at 29.038 mn t, and cast iron production increased by 2% to 29.111 mn t.

In 2012, Ukraine reduced rolled metal output by 9% to 28.957 mn t, steel – by 7% to 32.394 mn t, cast iron – by 1% to 28.513 mn t compared with 2011.