Ukrainian steel majors cut output in 11 mths, decline still slowing
KYIV. Dec 2 (Interfax) - Most of Ukraine's steel majors again reduced finished roll production considerably in January-November 2009, although the decline in the industry is still slowing.
ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih (formerly Kryvorizhstal), the country's biggest steel mill, reduced finished roll production tentatively 20.4% year-on-year to 4.057 million tonnes, the company told Interfax.
Azovstal said it reduced roll output 20.6% year-on-year to 3.863 million tonnes, Zaporizhstal reduced it 16.2% to 2.519 million tonnes and the Ilich works from Mariupol slashed output 31.5% to 2.756 million tonnes.
The Alchevsk Iron & Steel Works, a member of the Industrial Union of Donbass (IUD) group, cut roll output 16.8% year-on-year to 3.098 million tonnes, but IUD's Dzerzhinsky Metallurgical Combine (DMK) boosted it 22% year-on-year to 3.002 million tonnes.
Steel industry output in Ukraine started to plummet in August last year due to a drop in demand, particularly in October-December. Some steel mills stopped some of their capacity. However some signs of improvement were seen in May.
Ukrainian iron and steel industry production in the first 11 months of 2009, by company:
| Company | Jan-Nov 2009, tonnes | % change y-o-y (+/-) | Nov 2009, tonnes |
| ARCELORMITTAL KRIVIY RIH | |||
| Finished roll | 4,057,000 | -20.4 | 414,000 |
| Crude Steel | 4,540,000 | -23.9 | 519,000 |
| Pig Iron | 3,975,000 | -26.2 | 447,000 |
| AZOVSTAL | |||
| Finished roll | 3,863,000 | -20.6 | 427,200 |
| Crude Steel | 4,176,000 | -21.1 | 456,400 |
| Pig Iron | 3,608,000 | -18.3 | 398,800 |
| ZAPORIZHSTAL | |||
| Finished roll | 2,519,000 | -16.2 | 233,000 |
| Crude Steel | 3,018,000 | -17.5 | 287,000 |
| Pig Iron | 2,514,000 | -17.1 | 239,000 |
| ALCHEVSK IRON & STEEL WORKS | |||
| Finished roll | 3,098,000 | -16.8 | 249,000 |
| Crude Steel | 3,384,000 | -18.1 | 286,000 |
| Pig Iron | 3,020,000 | -15.7 | 238,000 |
| DZERZHINSKY IRON & STEEL WORKS (DMK) | |||
| Finished roll | 3,002,000 | +22.0 | 258,000 |
| Crude steel | 3,129,000 | +4.5 | 282,000 |
| Pig iron | 2,912,000 | +5.2 | 258,000 |
| ILICH IRON & STEEL WORKS, MARIUPOL (MMK) | |||
| Finished roll | 2,756,000 | -31.5 | 272,000 |
| Crude Steel | 3,843,000 | -27.5 | 386,000 |
| Pig Iron | 3,231,000 | -24.0 | 323,000 |
| ENAKIYIVE STEEL (EMZ) | |||
| Finished roll | 2,060,000 | -18.3 | 187,100 |
| Crude steel | 2,176,000 | -14.2 | 213,200 |
| Pig iron | 1,922,000 | -19.3 | 204,100 |