Demand for steel structures in Ukraine increased by 19% y/y in 2023 – USCC

Consumption of steel structures in Ukraine increased by 19% in 2023 compared to 2022, to 79 thousand tons. This is stated in the market review of the Ukrainian Steel Construction Center (USCC).

In 2022, consumption of steel structures in Ukraine amounted to 64 thousand tons, which is 59% less than in 2021. The growth in 2023 is primarily due to the implementation of projects to protect critical infrastructure, as well as the restoration of infrastructure and commercial facilities.

In 2024, market players expect the trend of increasing consumption of steel structures to continue, but this will directly depend on the overall situation in the country. The USCC experts predict continued growth of the market volume at 7% y/y – up to 85 thousand tons.

«Achievement of the forecasted growth will be ensured by an increase in the volume of recovery, an increase in demand due to the use of metal structures primarily in non-residential construction, the implementation of infrastructure projects and the construction of large logistics and industrial facilities,» the report says.

During 2016-2021, the consumption of steel structures did not fall below 100 thousand tons, in particular in 2016 – 102 thousand tons, 2017 – 111 thousand tons, 2018 – 124 thousand tons, 2019 – 135 thousand tons, 2020 – 149 thousand tons, 2021 – 154 thousand tons. The figure was gradually growing, but due to the full-scale invasion, it fell by more than half.

As GMK Center reported earlier, Ukraine increased rolled steel production by 0.4% in 2023 compared to 2022, to 5.37 million tons. In 2023, exports of rolled steel products amounted to 1.78 million tons, compared to 2.47 million tons in 2022. Imports of the same products reached 1.18 million tons last year, while in 2022 they amounted to 621.6 thousand tons.