ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih’s strategy focuses on maintaining operations – CEO

The strategy of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih PJSC focuses on sustainability and the continuity of operations. This was announced by the company’s CEO, Mauro Longobardo, during a conversation with local media, according to the corporate newspaper “Metallurg”.

Despite the challenging business environment, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih remains the city’s largest employer and a major taxpayer. In 2025, the company’s share of Kryvyi Rih’s budget revenue was 27%, and tax and other payments to budgets at all levels increased by nearly 28% compared to 2024—to 8.5 billion UAH.

“We are proud of the contribution we make to the city and the country. At the same time, due to the loss of access to some markets, these revenues may decrease in 2026, and this issue concerns not only business but also broader economic stability,” stated Mauro Longobardo.

He noted that the company has been operating at a loss for four years. This was caused by a combination of factors—high energy costs, logistical constraints, loss of markets, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Last year, AMKR’s net loss amounted to nearly 9 billion UAH, and in the first quarter of 2026, it reached 4.6 billion.

“Today, our strategy is a strategy for survival. Investments are focused on critically important projects. At the same time, the group continues to support its Ukrainian asset, believing in Ukraine’s future—the end of the war, European integration, and reconstruction,” emphasized the CEO of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih.

Security is also an extremely pressing issue for the company at the moment. Following a drone attack on April 28, one employee was killed and eight were injured. At the meeting, it was emphasized that for ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, protecting people is not a separate issue from business, but its very foundation.

As Mauro Longobardo explained, AMKR has recently been subjected to targeted drone attacks on its logistics infrastructure, according to the Center for Transport Strategies. Over the past two months, the Russians have destroyed 12 locomotives, causing approximately $50 million in damages. According to the CEO of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, negotiations are currently underway with the military to determine the best way to protect the plant.

As a reminder, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih lost 300,000 tons of steel exports due to CBAM in the first quarter of 2026, according to Mauro Longobardo’s column for GMK Center. In 2026, the company had planned to ship 1.2–1.25 million tons to Europe—nearly half of its total steel production—but this market has been lost.