The major Ukrainian steelmakers have released their preliminary production results for the first two months of 2010.
Accordingly, in February the Ukrainian steelmakers failed to increase their steel output on a month-on-month basis, registering a decrease of about 14 percent both in their total crude steel and finished steel product outputs. The steel producers explain this decrease by fewer working days, adverse weather conditions, which caused problems with the delivery and defrosting of raw materials, as well as by acute shortage of coke, and also by lack of working capital caused by VAT refund problems. Of the top seven largest Ukrainian steel producers, Dneprovsky Iron and Steel Works named after F. Dzerzhinsky and ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih showed the biggest month-on-month decrease in output. On the other hand, compared to the same period last year, the country's major steel producers managed to increase their output results. However, this is not a sign of a rebound in the Ukrainian steel industry, as the base for comparison was low.
In January-February 2010, ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih produced 803,800 mt of finished steel - up 18.5 percent, 952,600 mt of crude steel - up 36.6 percent, 839,000 mt of pig iron - up 33.2 percent, 1.535 million mt of agglomerate - up 28.7 percent, 410,000 mt of coke - up 15.1 percent, 1.373 million mt of iron ore concentrate - up 34.5 percent, and 203,500 mt of iron ore - down 3.3 percent, all compared to the same period of 2009.
During the first two months of the current year, Azovstal increased its crude steel output by 83.2 percent to 922,100 mt, its pig iron production by 80.7 percent to 784,500 mt and its finished steel production by 90.5 percent to 859,200 mt, all compared to the corresponding period of 2009. Meanwhile, Azovstal's metallurgical coke output registered an increase of 12.1 percent year on year to 326,900 mt.
In January-February this year, Ilyich increased its finished steel product output by 54 percent and its pipe production by 2.6 times year on year, to 619,000 mt and 11,200 mt respectively. Ilyich's crude steel production went up by 42.8 percent, its pig iron output rose by 42.4 percent and its agglomerate production increased by 33.7 percent, year on year. The respective figures in metric tons were 847,000, 715,000 and 1.602 million.
During the period in question, Dneprovsky Iron and Steel Works named after F. Dzerzhinsky saw its crude steel production drop by 19.8 percent year on year to 497,800 mt and saw a fall of 14.4 percent year on year in its pig iron production to 491,000 mt. The plant also saw its output of finished steel decline by 22.4 percent to 454,600 mt and saw its agglomerate production drop by 11.7 percent to 748,500 mt, both compared to January-February 2009.
During the first two months of 2010, Zaporizhstal decreased its finished steel production by 9.4 percent and its crude steel production by 11.7 percent year on year, to 409,000 mt and 492,000 mt respectively. Zaporizhstal's agglomerate production went down by 11.6 percent and its pig iron production declined by 8.5 percent year on year. The respective figures in metric tons were 737,000 and 422,000.
During the period in question, Alchevsk reduced its pig iron production by 24.2 percent, its crude steel production by 21.5 percent, its finished steel production by 26.4 percent, and its agglomerate production by 0.8 percent year on year. The respective figures in metric tons were 415,000, 480,000, 423,000 and 715,000.
In January-February this year, Yenakievo Iron and Steel Works (EMZ) slightly increased its pig iron production by 0.7 percent to 348,300 mt while its finished steel output rose by 3.4 percent to 388,800 mt, both compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, the plant's crude steel production went down by 1.2 percent year on year to 397,200 mt, and its agglomerate production decreased by 7.6 percent year on year to 307,500 mt.