12 Jan 2011 16:51

Ukraine ups metal-product exports 5.8% in 2010

DNEPROPETROVSK. Jan 12 (Interfax) - Companies in Ukraine's metals industry increased exports of product not including pipe by 5.8% last year to 27.036 million tonnes, Deputy Industrial Policy Minister Serhiy Bilenky said during a Wednesday meeting of mining and metals complex company representatives in Dnepropetrovsk.

Bilenky said that 42% of those exports consisted of semi-manufactured products - slabs and square billets. "Enterprises continue to produce and sell metal roll with low added value," he added.

Ukraine's metal-product imports surged 80% last year to 2.237 million tonnes from 1.242 million tonnes in 2009, Bilenky reported.

This substantial increase had objective underpinnings, he said, as Ukraine does not itself produce all the types of metal roll it needs. But Ukrainian metal companies can provide half of what was imported, he noted.

Ukraine cut its exports of scrap metal 24.9% last year to 664,700 tonnes, Bilenky said, because of measures his ministry has taken to regulate scrap-metal exports.

Metal companies in Ukraine increased output of pig iron by 7% in 2010 to 27.354 million tonnes, and that of both steel and roll by 10% to a respective 32.726 million and 30.680 million tonnes.