The Ukrainian steelmakers have increased their projected pig iron production for 2009 from the previously-planned 19.1 million mt to 22 million mt, due to the receipt of new orders, according to Anatoliy Starovoyt, general director of the Ukrainian coke association UkrKoks.
According to Mr. Starovoyt, in the current situation of economic crisis the Ukrainian government is making efforts to increase domestic market demand for steel products through the placing of orders by the state. Currently, the government intends to place an order for 5,000 freight cars for the national state-owned railway Ukrzaliznytsia.
However, the Ukrainian steelmakers are unable to offer the necessary rage of products to the domestic market, as about 50 percent of their output consists of semi-finished steel products, added Mr. Starovoyt.
According to the preliminary data, in 2008 Ukraine produced 30.982 million mt of pig iron.