Metinvest B.V., the parent company of a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies (jointly referred to as “Metinvest” or “the group”), announced its operational results for the fourth quarter and 12 months of 2017.
In Q4 2017 Metinvest’s hot metal output increased by 6% QoQ, 2,154 thousand tons, driven mainly by a rise of 143 thousand tons at Azovstal. This was largely a result of downtime due to scheduled work on blast furnaces reducing from 39 days in Q3 to 11 days in Q4, following the completion of a scheduled major overhaul on blast furnace No. 2.
In Q4 2017 the group’s crude steel production climbed by 6% QoQ, to 1,906 thousand tons, mainly due to an increase of 101 thousand tons at Azovstal, driven by greater hot metal output.
In 2017 production at the Mariupol steelmakers rose. Hot metal output at Azovstal rose by 600 thousand tons after blast furnace No. 4 was re-launched in February 2016 following a lengthy major overhaul. In addition, downtime due to irregular supplies of raw materials and fuel decreased in 2017, boosting steel output by 560 thousand tons. Hot metal production at Mariupol Ilyich Iron and Steel Woks rose by 346 thousand tons after the re-launch of blast furnace No. 4 in May 2016 following a lengthy major overhaul, driving an increase in steel output of 360 thousand tons. (SCM/Ukrainian metal)