Ukraine cuts steel output in January, ranks 12th in WSA list

Ukrainian steelmakers reduced steel output by 0.4% in January 2020 year-over-year (y-o-y), to 1.84 million tonnes, having climbed from the 13th to 12th spot in the international steelmakers ranking drawn up by the World Steel Association (WSA).

China remained on top of the ranking with 84.3 million tonnes (7.2% up y-o-y) produced. The runner-up is India (9.29 million tonnes, 3.2% down), then come Japan (8.24 million tonnes, 1.3% up), the United States (7.71 million tonnes, 2.5% up), Russia (6 million tonnes, 4.1% down), South Korea (5.75 million tonnes, 8% down), Turkey (3 million tonnes, 17.3% up), Iran (2.9 million tonnes, 46.9% up), Germany (2.8 million tonnes, 17.7% down), Brazil (2.7 million tonnes, 11.1% down), and Italy (1.87 million tonnes, 4.9% down).

Read alsoUkraine sees 1.2% decline in steel output in 2019

In total, the 64 countries ranked by the WSA increased steel output by 2.1% y-o-y, to 154.4 million tonnes.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian steelmakers in 2019 reduced steel output against 2018 by 1.2%, to 20.8 million tonnes, having retained the 13rd place in the international steelmakers rating drawn up by the World Steel Association (WSA).

UNIAN memo. Ukraine ranked seventh in the WSA rating 2013 in terms of steel output, having produced 30.4 million tonnes. In 2014, the country slid to the 10th place with a steel output of 27.2 million tonnes. Since 2014, two factors have affected domestic steelmakers' activities: hostilities in Donbas, where more than half of steel production facilities are located, and a decline in world prices of raw materials for metallurgy and finished products. They reduced steelmakers' revenue and toughened competition on global markets, which was most evident in 2015. However, Ukraine managed to keep its 10th position in the industry rating in 2015 and 2016.