Ukrainian metal enterprises reduce steel output by 4% in seven months

DNIPROPETROVSK - Metallurgical enterprises in Ukraine reduced production of steel by 4% year-on-year to 19.385 million tonnes in January-July 2012. Production of roll declined by 7% to 17.32 million tonnes.

Metalurgprom Director General Vasyl Kharakhulakh said at a meeting in Dnipropetrovsk on Wednesday that production of cast iron increased by 1% to 16.806 million tonnes in the seven months.

Enterprises produced 2.554 million tonnes of steel (82,400 tonnes of average daily output), 2.316 million tonnes of roll (74,700 tonnes), and 2.281 million tonnes cast iron (73,600 tonnes).

Kharakhulakh added that a significant decrease in metal production has been visible recently because of negative trends on external markets.

Metalurgprom told Interfax-Ukraine that the plan for September expects cast iron output to equal the result planned for August at 2.3 million tonnes. At the same time, metallurgical enterprises plan to reduce steelmaking by 1.5% from the initial plan for August to 2.64 million tonnes. Roll production will decrease by 3.3% to 2.37 million tonnes.

It was earlier reported that Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises were to produce 2.3 million tonnes of cast iron in August, 2.68 million tonnes of steel and 2.45 million tonnes of roll.

Production of cast iron in Ukraine increased by 6% to 28.879 million tonnes while steel rose by 6% to 34.689 million tonnes in 2011.