In the first four months of 2008, ArcelorMittal Kryvy Rig reduced its steel production by 156,000 tons, or 5.6 percent year on year, to 2.61 million tons, according to the Ministry of Industrial Policy.

Between January and April, sinter production by AMKR dropped by 293,000 tons, or 7.1 percent yoy, to 3.79 million hryvnias. Cast iron production slid 136,000 tons, or 5.5 percent yoy, to 2.33million tons. Finished steel production fell by 61,000 tons, or 2.5 percent yoy, to 2.34 million tons. Coke production slipped 9,000 tons, or 0.8 percent yoy, to 1.18 million tons. Only ore concentrate production grew, climbing 174,000 tons, or 6.3 percent, to 2.92 million tons.

UNIAN reference: In October 2005, Mittal Steel Germany GmbH (Germany) purchased 93.02 percent of VAT Kryvorizhstal, which was later renamed ArcelorMittal Kryvy Rig.

AMKR is Ukraine’s leading steel producer. It produces raw steel, finished steel, cast iron, and sinter. Roughly 90 percent of the plant’s output is earmarked for export.

On July 18, 2006, Mittal Steel announced a merger with Arcelor. ArcelorMittal is now the world’s leading steel producer, operating in over 60 countries.

In 2007, AMKR produced 8.1 million tons of raw steel (534,000 tons or a 7 percent over 2006), 11.95 million tons of sinter (556,000 tons or a 4.8 percent increase compared with 2006), 7.21 million tons of cast iron (405,000 tons or a 6 percent increase over 2006), 7.12 million tons of finished steel (268,000 tons or 4 percent more than in 2006), 3.9 million tons of coke (313,000 tons or 11.6 percent over the year before), and 8.46 million tons of iron ore concentrate (654,000 tons or 8.3 percent more than in 2006).