Interfax cited Mr. Andriy Fedoseyev, president of the Ukrainian Metal Traders Association, as saying that metal consumption in Ukraine fell 36.3% YoY in January to November to 4.809 million tons and imports plummeted 67% to 577,288 tons.
Mr. Fedoseyev said Ukrainian pipe mills bought 1.397 million tons of locally produced and imported roll and feedstock down by 31.9% YoY from January to November last year. Construction firms bought 68,170 tons down by 70%, rail producers – 102,715 tons up by 49.1%, and metalware producers – 387,243 tons down by 28.6%.
Traders, including small firms, bought 1.275 million tons of metal down by 48.9%, mining and metallurgical companies – 548,069 tons up by 40.4% and machinery plants – 523,732 tons down by 62.2%.
Metal traders accounted for 27% of domestic market steel consumption in January to November, pipe mills – 29%, machine building plants – 11%, mining and metallurgical companies – 19%, metalware producers – 8%, construction firms – 1%, railway enterprises – 2% and others – 3%.
Metals consumption in Ukraine fell by 16.5% in 2008 to 7.89 million tons, but imports grew by 6.6% to 1.766 million tons. (Interfax)