Zaporizhstal reduced rolled steel production by 5.1% m/m in January

In January 2024, Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works reduced rolled steel production by 5.1% compared to the previous month – to 196 thousand tons. This is stated in the press release of the enterprise.

Pig iron production in January fell by 1.7% compared to December 2023, to 261 thousand tons. Steel production for the month increased by 3% m/m – to 235.5 thousand tons.

In January 2024, Zaporizhstal increased pig iron production by 56.9% compared to January 2023. Steel production increased by 2.6 times year-on-year, and rolled products output also increased by 2.6 times.

«The increase in production in January 2024 compared to the same period last year is due to the removal of blast furnace No. 2 from hot mothballing and the launch of three blast furnaces in March 2023,» the company said.

As GMK Center reported, in 2023 Zaporizhstal increased production by 50.6% compared to 2022 – up to 7.24 million tons. In particular, the plant produced:

• pig iron – 2.72 million tons (+35.3% y/y);
• steel – 2.47 million tons (+65.4%);
• rolled goods – 2.05 million tons (+57.2%).

Enemy shelling and destruction, interruptions in the supply of raw materials and energy, and disruption of logistics routes due to the blockade of seaports led to a decline in Zaporizhstal’s production performance compared to pre-war levels. In particular, in 2021, the plant produced 4.5 million tons of pig iron, 3.8 million tons of steel and 3.2 million tons of rolled products. In 2023, the plant operated at an average of 70% of its capacity.