Zaporozhstal boosts steel output by third in Jan-Aug, Zaporozhkoks ups output by almost 25%

MOSCOW. Sept 5 (Interfax) - Ukrainian steelmaker Zaporozhstal, a division of Metinvest Group, increased rolled steel shipments by 26.1% year-on-year to 1.240 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2023.

Steel production rose 35.5% to 1.499 million tonnes and pig iron production increased by 17.5% to 1.666 million tonnes, Ukrainian media reported, citing the company.

Zaporozhstal produced 257,900 tonnes of pig iron and 239,700 tonnes of steel and shipped 200,400 tonnes of rolled steel products in August alone, compared to, respectively, 262,000 tonnes, 240,700 tonnes and 196,100 tonnes in July.

"The increase in production in August 2023 y-o-y is due to resumption of operation of blast furnace No. 2 after hot mothballing and adjustment of operation with three blast furnaces," the company said in a press release.

Zaporozhstal, one of Ukraine's largest industrial enterprises, specializes in manufacturing cold-rolled steel and hot-rolled coil, sheet, strip and roll-formed sections.

Zaporozhkoks, another division of Metinvest, increased production of blast furnace coke by 22% year-on-year to 572,300 tonnes in the first eight months of 2023. Production in August rose to 72,400 tonnes from 70,500 tonnes a year earlier.

Zaporozhkoks, which produces 10% of Ukraine's coke, has a complete process cycle for production of coke and by-products. It also produces coke oven gas and pitch coke.

Metinvest is a vertically integrated mining and steel group that is 71.24% owned by SCM Group and 23.76% by Smart Holding.