Ukrainian steelmakers, excluding those in the eastern provinces that were seized by rebels in 2017, managed to increase their output of pig iron and steel in 2018, supported by favorable conditions in the global steel market, and higher prices in particular.
Production of pig iron in Ukraine increased by 5% year-on-year in 2018 to 20.56 million tonnes, the country's steel union, Ukrmetallurgprom, said in its latest report.Crude steel output was up by 1% year-on-year, to 21.1 million tonnes, while rolled steel output increased by 3% year-on-year, to 18.36 million tonnes.Most of the rolled steel volumes were exported. In January-November 2018, Ukrainian producers shipped 16.84 million tonnes of steel products to foreign customers. This figure was largely unchanged year-on-year, Ukrmetallurgprom said.Semi-finished steel product exports accounted for 43.68% of the total volume, or 7.36 million tonnes, up by 4% year-on-year.The annual average price for CIS export billet was $481.04 per tonne fob Black Sea in 2018, up by $45.64 per tonne against $435.40 per tonne in 2017, according to Fastmarkets' price archive.The annual average price for CIS export slab was $510.37 per tonne fob Black Sea in 2018, up by $70.90 from $439.47...