The major Ukrainian steelmakers have released their preliminary production results for the first three months of 2009.
Accordingly, during the given period Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol (Ilyich) reduced its finished steel products output by 53 percent and its pipe production by 73.4 percent year on year, to 646,000 mt and 7,900 mt respectively. Ilyich's crude steel production decreased by 48.4 percent, its pig iron output by 44.4 percent and its agglomerate production by 46.5 percent, year on year. The respective figures in metric tons were 921,000, 781,000 and 1.824 million.
During the first three months of 2009, Azovstal decreased its crude steel output by 46.3 percent to 828,000 mt, its pig iron production by 43.6 percent to 713,000 mt and its finished steel production by 44.5 percent to 768,000 mt, all compared to the corresponding period of 2008. Meanwhile, Azovstal's agglomerate production saw a slight decrease of 1.8 percent to 482,000 mt, while its metallurgical coke output registered a drop of 27.3 percent to 448,000 mt year on year.
In January-March 2009, ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih produced 1.018 million mt of finished steel - down 41.7 percent, 1.080 million mt of crude steel - down 45 percent, 963,000 mt of pig iron - down 45 percent, and 1.767 million mt of agglomerate - down 38.3 percent, all compared to the first three months of 2008.
During the first quarter of 2009, Zaporizhstal decreased its finished steel production by 24.5 percent and its crude steel production by 24.6 percent year on year, to 688,000 mt and 831,000 mt respectively. Zaporizhstal's agglomerate production went down by 12.4 percent year on year and its pig iron production declined by 22.5 percent. The respective figures in metric tons were 1.233 million and 698,000.
During the period in question, Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works (Alchevsk) reduced its pig iron production by 20.9 percent year on year, its crude steel production by 20.5 percent, its finished steel production by 16.3 percent, and its agglomerate production by 12.3 percent. The respective figures in metric tons were 877,000, 961,000, 902,000 and 1.106 million.
During the first three months of 2009, Yenakievo Iron and Steel Works (EMZ) decreased its pig iron production by 27.2 percent to 530,000 mt, its crude steel production by 21.8 percent to 607,000 mt, its finished steel output by 24.7 percent to 572,000 mt, and its agglomerate production by 13.3 percent to 517,000 mt, all compared with the same period last year.