The import of galvanized steel to Ukraine doubled y/y in the first quarter

In January-March 2023, Ukraine increased the import of galvanized steel by two times compared to the same period in 2022 – up to 48.1 thousand tons. This is stated in the research of galvanized and painted steel market for the first quarter of 2023 on the Metipol website.

In March 2023, Ukrainian consumers imported 19.32 thousand tons of galvanized steel, which is 87% more compared to the previous month, and 7.1 times more compared to March 2022.

The largest supplier of galvanized steel to Ukraine in the first quarter was Turkiye – 16.9 thousand tons of products. The countries of the European Union account for 6.4 thousand tons of galvanizing imported to Ukraine.

Turkish suppliers took the largest share in the Ukrainian market thanks to the reduction of the price of their products by approximately $110/t from the market price in March. During the month, Ukrainian consumers imported 7.4 thousand tons of galvanized steel from Turkiye, while in January-February the average monthly import was 2.6 thousand tons.

Import of galvanized steel by type of destination in January-March 2023:

• 2-3 grade – 23.53%;
• elevators and mechanical engineering – 35.29%;
• steel for painting – 33.33%;
• trade in fine zinc, production – 7.84%.

As GMK Center reported earlier, volumes of galvanized steel consumption in Ukraine in 2022 decreased by 44% y/y – to 172 thousand tons (in 2021 – 308 thousand tons). At the same time, domestic production of rolled steel with galvanized coating decreased by 74% y/y last year – to 127 thousand tons (in 2021 – 493 thousand tons).

Exports of rolled products with galvanized coating from Ukraine fell by 85% y/y last year – to 42 thousand tons (in 2021 – 277 thousand tons). Imports of galvanizing in 2022 increased by 27% y/y – up to 84 thousand tons.