Consumption of painted steel may grow to 300 thousand tons in 2024 – forecast

Ukraine’s apparent consumption of painted steel is expected to grow by 8.3% y/y – to 300 kt in 2024. Last year, this figure was 277 thousand tons, up 82% y/y.

This was stated by Denys Rysukhin, Metipol Director, during an open meeting of the Committee on Roofing, Facade Structures and LGSF of the Ukrainian Steel Construction Center Association.

According to Denys Rysukhin, in 2024, domestic producers are expected to increase production of painted rolled steel by about 54% y/y, up to 100 thousand tons. Last year, domestic production increased by 60% compared to 2022, up to 65 kt.

In 2023, imports of polymer-coated steel amounted to 220.4 thousand tons, up 72% compared to 2022. European producers supplied 96 thousand tons of products (+67% y/y). China accounted for another 95.94 thsd tonnes (+87% y/y). Domestic producers accounted for 21.4% of the market (19.6% in 2022), while foreign producers accounted for 78.6%.

The share of Chinese coated steel will decline in 2024 not only due to trade restrictions imposed last September but also due to an increase in domestic production. Last year, a new producer of polymer-coated galvanized steel, Polysteel, entered Ukraine with an annual production capacity of 100 thousand tons. Other producers have also been announced.

«A new production facility is scheduled to start up in 2024, and at least one more painting line is under construction,» Metipol said.

In 2023, only 6 thousand tons of dyed coils were shipped for export, compared to 11 thousand tons in 2022. Last year, exporters additionally re-exported about 2.5 kt of imported coated steel coils.

As GMK Center reported earlier, consumption of polymer-coated steel decreased by 55.4% y/y – to 152.5 kt in 2022, while domestic production decreased by 38% y/y – to 37.5 kt.

Also, last year’s consumption of galvanized steel in Ukraine increased by 41% y/y to 243 thousand tons. It is expected that consumption of this steel product could reach 289 kt in 2024, up 19% y/y.