The Ukrainian steel producer Donetskstal has won a tender for the supply of 400,000 mt of coke to Iran in 2010, Donetskstal's deputy general director for marketing and sales strategy and resource supplies Valery Khilko has said, adding that the company is also currently in talks with Iranian companies for steel product deliveries.
According to Mr. Khilko, since January 2009 Donetskstal has been exporting about 30,000-40,000 mt of coke per month to Iran, which is a stable partner, with the Middle East being a very promising region for the company.
One of the reasons which forced Donetskstal to increase export sales was the breaking off of its partnership with Ukraine's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih, which in September 2009 terminated a contract with Donetskstal for the supply of 20,000 mt of coke per month.
Donetskstal Group owns two coke producers in Ukraine, namely Yasinovsk Coke and Makeevkoks, as well as Ukraine's largest coking coal producer Pokrovskoe Mine.