A paradoxical situation has arisen on the Ukrainian scrap market

Ukrainian scrap collectors have completely reoriented exports to Poland, according to GMK Center calculations based on data from the State Customs Service. Previously, Turkey was the main destination, but since 2023, Polish companies have become the main buyers.

The year before last, they purchased 160.6 thousand tons of Ukrainian scrap, or 88% of the total exported volume. Last year, supplies to Poland increased to 248.6 thousand tons, which amounted to 85% of scrap exports. This year, in January-February, Polish counterparties received 38.85 thousand tons of Ukrainian raw materials, 94.8% of the total export volume.

Thus, scrap supplies in the European direction are growing rapidly. At the same time, the European Union, unlike Turkiey, is itself a major scrap exporter. This means that European metallurgists do not experience the same problems with scrap supply that their Ukrainian colleagues face. In 2024, European scrap suppliers sent 16.72 million tons of scrap abroad. Including scrap exports from Poland amounted to about 1.3 million tons.

At the same time, the few operating Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises are faced with the threat of reducing steel and rolled product production, including due to a lack of scrap. In turn, this reduces the revenue of metallurgists and, further down the chain, budget deductions. In early February, representatives of the metallurgical and foundry industries announced the threat of a significant scrap deficit in 2025 on the domestic market.

As reported, European scrap exports in 2024 fell by 10.8% to 16.72 million tonnes. More than 60% of the total supply went to Turkey – 10.62 million tonnes. This is 1.7% more than a year earlier.

  • Companies

BYD has chosen voestalpine as its steel supplier for its Hungarian car plant

Chinese car manufacturer BYD has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with leading European steel producer…

Sunday June 29, 2025
  • Companies

Tenaris has begun construction of its second wind farm in Argentina

Tenaris has announced the start of construction of its second wind farm in Argentina, La…

Saturday June 28, 2025
  • Companies

Metinvest has created protective armor for Patriot air defense systems

As part of the Steel Front initiative, Metinvest Group has manufactured and installed special protective…

Saturday June 28, 2025
  • Companies

Arvedi Group raises €900 million to expand production and decarbonize

Italian steel company Arvedi Group has raised €900 million in financing to implement a large-scale…

Friday June 27, 2025
  • Global Market

Domestic demand for steel in China continues to fall

Domestic demand for steel in China, according to market participants' estimates, continued to fall in…

Friday June 27, 2025
  • Industry

Construction works performed in Ukraine in January-April fell by 13% y/y

The index of construction work performed in Ukraine in January-April 2025 decreased by 13% compared…

Friday June 27, 2025