Posted on 08 Mar 2024
Ukraine’s pipemakers increased production in 2023 amid the ongoing Russian invasion, says national pipemaker association Ukrtruboprom.
Total volume amounted to 495,600 tonnes, up by 10% on-year, Kallanish notes. In December alone, output reached 42,400t, up 14% compared to the previous month and 139.5% more on-year.
Interpipe Niko Tube saw production surge 13.3% on-year, Uktrubozol increased output by 43.8% and Centravis by 11.7%. However, Trubostal reduced output 42.5%, Interpipe NMTZ by 53.8% and Oscar Production Association by 30.5%.
“Based on the results of last year, the Ukrainian pipe industry showed growth and this happened for the first time in two years of full-scale war, despite the proximity of a large number of production sites to the front line, as well as the presence of Nikopol, which was subject to constant shelling, directly in the combat zone,” says Ukrtrubprom general director Georgy Polsky. “Against this background, it is logical that there is no need to talk about pre-war pipe production volumes: the results for 2023 are only 70% of the 2021 level.”
According to Polsky, production results for the year could have been higher if imported products from China had not entered the domestic market in large volumes, especially when analogues are produced in Ukraine. “Chinese pipe products simply filled the Ukrainian market both in the private segment and in tenders of the state companies. That is why we were very enthusiastic about the creation of the all-Ukrainian platform ‘Made in Ukraine’, which could lead to a change in state economic policy.”
Ukraine’s pipemakers increased exports in January compared with the previous month to 34,650t, up by 51.6% month-on-month and 66.8% more year-on-year (see Kallanish passim). This came as seaborne shipments supported an overall Ukrainian steel export revival in January.
In 2023, Ukraine exported 356,350t of pipe, down by 11.8% on-year.
Source:Kallanish
