According to the data issued by the Ukrainian Association of Metal Traders, in 2009 Ukraine registered a 32.5 percent decrease in rolled steel consumption year on year to 5.33 million metric tons. Meanwhile, during the year in question, imports of rolled products to Ukraine went down by 54.8 percent year on year to 797,828 metric tons.

Accordingly, in 2009 the Ukrainian pipe making companies reduced purchases of domestic and imported rolled products by 28.4 percent to 1.5 million mt, local construction companies cut purchases by 70 percent to 71,050 mt, hardware producers decreased purchases by 24.9 percent to 427,908 mt, while railway companies increased purchases by 47.5 percent to 102,980 mt, all compared to 2008.

Furthermore, Ukrainian steel traders, including the smaller companies, reduced their purchases of domestic and imported rolled steel products by 45.8 percent to about 1.42 million mt, machine building companies decreased purchases by 58 percent to 597,931 mt, while mining and metallurgical companies increased their purchases by 44.1 percent to 1.06 million mt, all compared with the data for 2008.