As of January 2025, Ukrainian metallurgical companies are demonstrating positive dynamics in foreign trade operations regarding metal products. According to calculations by the analytical agency GMK Center based on Eurostat data, the volume of metal product exports to third countries increased by 23.7% compared to the previous month, reaching 320.71 thousand tons. This is also 0.8% higher than the figure for January of last year.
This is reported by Business • Media
Significant volumes of exports are accounted for by various types of metal products, including flat and long rolled products.
Growth in Exports of Flat and Long Rolled Products
The volume of flat rolled product exports in January 2025 increased by 23.5% compared to the previous month and by 6.6% compared to January 2024, totaling 213.33 thousand tons. Specifically, of this amount:
- 27.4% worse year-on-year and 20.2% month-on-month – 74.47 thousand tons are accounted for by coated rolled products (HS – 7210);
- 28.1% worse year-on-year and -2% month-on-month – 49.91 thousand tons are for hot-rolled products (HS – 7208);
- 58% growth month-on-month and 17.6% year-on-year – 48.22 thousand tons are for other alloyed rolled products (HS – 7225).
The volumes of long rolled products in January 2025 increased by 24.2% compared to the previous month but decreased by 9.1% year-on-year, totaling 107.38 thousand tons. The most exported include:
- angles, shaped and special profiles made of unalloyed steel – 31.92 thousand tons (a decrease of 12.1% year-on-year and an increase of 39.2% month-on-month)
- bars and billets of hot-rolled carbon steel – 26.69 thousand tons (a decrease of 13.8% year-on-year and 4.9% month-on-month).
Import of Metal Products to Germany and Steel Production in the Country
The import of metal products to Germany from outside the EU in January 2025 amounted to 60.9 thousand tons, which is 19.5% lower year-on-year, but 2.3 times higher compared to the previous month.
The volume of long rolled product imports decreased by 4.2% year-on-year and increased by 98.7% month-on-month to 41.12 thousand tons, while flat rolled products decreased by 39.5% year-on-year but increased 3.4 times month-on-month to 19.79 thousand tons.
The most imported include:
- bars and billets made of corrosion-resistant steel – 11.03 thousand tons;
- flat rolled products with coating – 9.18 thousand tons;
- other alloyed and non-alloyed bars and billets for drilling – 7.71 thousand tons.
Despite the growth in steel production, the volumes of its output remain below the level of 40 million tons for the third consecutive year, indicating a recession, notes the analytical agency WVStahl. According to the results of 2024, Ukraine increased steel production by 5.2% compared to 2023, reaching 37.23 million tons. The production of pig iron amounted to 24.33 million tons (+2.9% year-on-year), while the production of hot-rolled steel was 31.61 million tons (+3%).