Ukraine steelmaker Metinvest will increase hot-rolled coil shipments after the start of a new rolling line at its Ilyich Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, a move that will help the company to regain its share of the global HRC market, Metinvest's sales director Dmitriy Nikolaenko said.
"With the reconstruction of the Ilyich strip mill we want to regain our share of the global HRC market, and we plan to reach back to 4.5% of the total amount of internationally traded HRC [in 2020]" Nikolaenko said during a presentation of the strip mill on Tuesday November 5. In 2013, Metinvest's share of global HRC imports was 5.2%, but that figure was cut after the company shut down inefficient production facilities at its open-hearth operation and ingot casting at Ilyich, he said.In 2018, Metinvest sold 3.5 million tonnes of HRC, accounting for 3.9% of the 89 million tonnes of global HRC imports, according to the sales director. In 2019, Metinvest's combined...