Ukraine’s Jan-July crude steel output falls 62.1% on year: Ukrmetallurgprom

Ukraine’s crude steel output fell 62.1% on the year to 4.82 million mt in January-July 2022, steelmaking industry association Ukrmetallurgprom reported Aug. 10.

Pig iron output dropped 61.9% on the year to 4.815 million mt and rolled steel production decreased 62.7% to 4.23 million mt, according to preliminary figures.

Output was hit by the Ukraine war, resulting in the destruction of many steelmaking facilities, as well as the disruption of logistic chains, with steel exports out of Black Sea ports barred.

In July, Ukraine produced 280,000 mt of crude steel, down from 1.87 million mt a year ago, while pig iron output was 285,000 mt, down from 1.88 million mt, and rolled steel production was 210,000 mt, down from 1.67 million mt.

Metinvest’s Azovstal and Illych steelworks in Mariupol were both destroyed and captured by the Russian forces, although its Zaporizhstal steelworks, which is running at 50% of its capacity since April, produced 1.01 million mt of steel in January-July, down 56.3% year on year.

Zaporizhstal’s pig iron output dropped 49.9% to 1.27 million mt and rolled metal production decreased 53.9% to 905,700 mt, Metinvest said.

In July, Zaporizhstal produced 137,400 mt of pig iron, down 60.7% on the year, with crude steel production down 72.5% to 89,600 mt and rolled steel output down 71.8% to 78,700 mt.

— Alexander Bor