Apr 12, 2022
Most Ukrainian steelmakers resume production despite war continuation
2022-07-05
Seven weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, most Ukrainian steel plants have restarted steel production, Kallanish notes.
Ukrainian pipemaker Interpipe is the latest enterprise that has resumed production at its facilities in Dnipro, Nikopol and Novomoskovsk.
“First of all, the facilities for finishing operations will be launched to finalise semi-finished pipes, railway wheels and wheel sets,” the company says. “The bulk of the finished products will be exported to the European market.”
At the end of March, the company began to ship products manufactured even before the start of the Russian invasion by road to Europe, it says. “The capacity of logistics channels in Ukraine is limited, so the volume of cargo cannot be compared with the volumes before the war,” Interpipe adds.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (AMKR) plans to launch blast furnace No.8 on 2 May, AMKR chief executive Mauro Longobardo says in the company’s corporate newspaper.
“We have already resumed the operation of blast furnace No.6, which will go down in history, as we are doing it during the war,” he notes. “In addition, by the end of April, the plant expects to bring the mining department to 100% capacity, and by 10 May will be able to export iron ore concentrate from ore processing plant No.1.”
Longobardo says the extent of operations all depends on the military situation, as well as the restructuring of raw materials and finished products logistics. “The mining department has been launched at the plant and the work of the coke production is also supported,” he adds.
Metinvest’s Zaporizhstal has already restarted blast furnaces No.3 and No.4 after an idle period (see Kallanish passim). Production at sister firms Zaporizhkoks, Zaporizhvognetriv and ZLMZ was also restored.
Pellet producer Ferrexpo continues to produce and ship product by rail to customers in Europe.
Seamless stainless pipe producer Centravis resumed single-shift production, but faces logistics problems with its shipments.
However, DMZ is still idled, as are Metinvest’s Mariupol-based Ilyich and Azovstal plants.
Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria
Source: Eurometal
