Jump to content

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih
Native name
АрселорМіттал Кривий Ріг
Typepublic joint-stock company (PJSC)
IndustrySteel
Founded1934[1]
Headquarters
Kryvyi Rih
,
Ukraine
Key peopleMauro Longobardo (CEO)[2]
ProductsSteel, hot metal, rolled products
Revenue70,634,443,000 hryvnia (2025) Edit this on Wikidata
Total assets51,725,655,000 hryvnia (2025) Edit this on Wikidata
Number of employees
over 22,000 (2022)
ParentArcelorMittal
Websiteukraine.arcelormittal.com
Steel Production
Wire rod production at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, 2017

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (former Kryvorizhstal; Ukrainian: Криворіжсталь) is a steel company, located in Kryvyi Rih, in central Ukraine. It was founded in 1934 and stopped operations in 2026.[3]

Background

[edit]

The presence of iron ore in the regions around Kryvyi Rih has been confirmed since at least 1781 and was rumored to have existed long before[1] by generations of inhabitants. Throughout the 1800s, the region was surveyed for its mineral wealth. Iron ore of 70% iron content and manganese ores were located. In 1881, industrial extraction of iron ore began, alongside other developments such as the construction of the Kryvyi Rih railway. By 1884, over 100,000 tons of iron ore had been extracted, and the railway though Kryvyi Rih, 477 versts (505,6 km) long, from Yasynuvata station via Kryvyi Rih to Dolynska station, had been opened.[1] Iron ore production expanded rapidly during the next few years. By 1896, 20 mines in the Kryvyi Rih Basin were producing over 1,000,000 tonnes of ore. Industrial expansion continued in the region up to 1917. Production dropped during the First World War.[1]

Foundation and growth in Soviet Union

[edit]
Construction work on a new giant blast furnace iron-melting unit at Lenin Metallurgical Works (Soviet name) in Kryvyi Rih

After the formation of the Soviet Union and expulsion of Austro-Hungarian forces and then anti-communist forces occupying the region under Anton Denikin, relative normalcy resumed.[1] Planning of the plant began in 1929, with the intent to construct an integrated steel plant comprising iron ore and carbon mining to finished steel products.[4] In 1931, the chairman of the Supreme Economic Council of the USSR, Grigori (Sergo) Ordzhonikidze, signed a decree ordering the construction of the facility; that same year, the foundation stone of the metallurgical plant was laid. In August 1934, the first metal was produced at Kryvorizhstal, later known as 'Kryvyi Rih Metallurgical Plant'.[5]

Before the onset of the Second World War, the plant operated with three blast furnaces (of 3,160 m3) and two open hearth furnaces, along with a heat and power plant. In 1941, a blooming mill with a yearly capacity of 1.7 million tonnes, a fourth blast furnace and a third open hearth furnace came online, shortly before the Nazi occupation.[6] Before German troops arrived, equipment and employees were evacuated to Nizhny Tagil, east of the Ural Mountains.[6] During the German occupation from 14 August 1941 to 22 February 1944,[1] what remained of the plant was left in ruins.[7]

After recapturing of the area, the plant was rebuilt and continued its growth. Blast Furnace 7 was built in 1962, and Blast Furnace 8 was completed in 1970, making the plant the largest in Europe. In 1974, Blast Furnace 9 opened,[1] the biggest in the world with a volume of 5,000 m3.[8]

Ukrainian independence

[edit]

In 1996, restructuring took place, combining the mining and ore concentrating unit Novokrivorozhsky HZK (Новокриворізький ГЗК (НК ГЗК)) (NK-HZK) with the Kryvyi Rih State Mining and Metallurgical Combine (Kryvorizhstal) (Криворізького державного гірничо-металургійного комбінату "Криворіжсталь"). Kryvyi Rih coking plant[9] (Криворізький коксохімічний завод (ККХЗ)) was included in the group in 1997,[8] forming "Novokrivorozhsky mining and processing combine and Kryvyi Rih coking plant" (Новокриворізький гірничо-збагачувальний комбінат і Криворізький коксохімічний завод «Криворіжсталь»), or Kryvoriszhstal. This was all on paper, given that the three units had been always been designed to work jointly, and that the facilities were on the same site.

First privatization, 2004

[edit]

Kryvorizhstal became internationally known when it was privatized in June 2004 for a sum of US$800 million,[10][11] (₴4.26 billion.[12]) against a government-set reserve price of $714 million,[13] to a consortium called Investment-Metallurgical Union.[8] This consortium included Rinat Akhmetov's SCM and Interpipe Group,[12] controlled by then-President Kuchma's son-in-law Viktor Pinchuk.[11] Higher offers from foreign investors, including a joint bid from Severstal/Arcelor, and a bid from Tata Steel, were rejected on bidding technicalities.[14] The deal was widely criticized by the opposition and from abroad as an example of corruption and state property mismanagement.[11]

On the initiative of newly elected President Viktor Yushchenko, the privatization deal was dismissed by a court in June 2005, and the company sold again in a fair auction.[11]

2005, Second privatisation and ArcelorMittal company

[edit]

At the time of the second privatisation, the company had annual sales of $1897 million with a net profit of $378 million, and cash reserves of $413 million. The plant had a production capacity of ~10 million tonnes of raw steel, and a rolling capacity of under 7 million tonnes, and was able to source most of its requirements for iron ore and coke locally.[15] The bidding process was broadcast live on Ukrainian television,[11] with Arcelor, Mittal Steel Company and Vadim Novinsky's Smart Holdings bidding - Mittal Steel Company was the highest bidder and acquired a 93.02 percent stake in Kryvorizhstal on 24 October 2005, for ₴ 24.2 billion, or US$4.81 billion.[11] Mittal Steel was expected to finance the acquisition from its own cash reserves and from a $3 billion loan arranged with UK based Citigroup. The price exceeded analyst predictions of $3 billion,[15] making it the largest privatization deal in the former Soviet Union.[citation needed]

In 2006, the company was renamed Mittal Steel Kryvyi Rih[16] (Ukrainian : ВАТ «Міттал Стіл Кривий Ріг»), and later in 2007, after the takeover of Arcelor by Mittal steel to form ArcelorMittal, the company was renamed ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih.[17]

During the Great Recession, steel production dropped from 8.1 million tonnes in 2007[18] to 6.2 million in 2008[19] and 5 million in 2009,[20] with decreases in other production metrics and revenues, with the company registering a net loss of ₴120 million in 2009 (down from a profit of ₴4.7 billion the year before).[21] Production levels recovered to 2008 values in 2010.[22][23]

Investments 2006-2024

[edit]

Between 2006 and 2022 in Ukraine, the company's total investments amounted to $10 billion (including $ 4.8 billion – take over amount during the privatization + $ 5.2 billion - investment in production development). Major investment projects from 2006 to 2022 included:

  • Reconstruction of Coke Oven Batteries 3 and 4 ($199 million);
  • Category 1 reconstruction of Blast Furnace No. 8 ($127 million);
  • Reconstruction of Oxygen Block 2 ($45 million);
  • Construction of ladle furnace and Continuous Caster Machine 1 ($112 million);
  • Construction of the new packing line at Light Section Mill 2 ($16 million);
  • Category 1 reconstruction of Blast Furnace 6 ($117 million);
  • Pulverized coal injection built at Blast Furnace 9 ($60 million);
  • Reconstruction of Coke Oven Batteries 5 and 6, along with the implementation of environmental measures and an automated environmental monitoring system ($157 million);
  • Modernization of Sinter Shop 2 (over $180 million);
  • Construction of two new continuous Casting Machines 2 and 3 (over $160 million);
  • Reconstruction of Light Section Mill 250-4 (over $60 million);
  • Construction of new gas cleaning plants for Basic Oxygen Furnaces 4, 5, and 6 with СО combustion and implementation of automated environmental monitoring system ($65 million);
  • From 2008 to 2015, approximately $500 million were invested to replenish old crushers, build new sections at the beneficiation plants (total of three sections), purchase new ball mills, modernize the haulage fleet and in-pit equipment, open a new horizon at the Artem underground mine (1 135 m), and reconstruct the tailing ponds.
  • In February 2022 the Russian large-scale invasion of Ukraine caused ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih to put it temporarily on hold several major investment projects, including a pellet plant construction initially slated to open in 2023. The company makes an exception only for those projects without which the production might stop completely. Such an example is the construction of a new tailing dump Tretya Karta, which is vital for the continuation of ore mining and safe storage of production waste. The commissioning of the new tailing dump will make it possible to abandon two old similar facilities and reduce the anthropogenic load on the nearby territories. ArcelorMittal company is investing over $150 million in this project.
  • As of September 2024, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih plans to continue its operations even with the current challenges of declining iron ore prices and stagnation in the European steel market. Another obstacle is the mobilization campaign in Ukraine, as more than 3,000 employees have joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 233 of them were killed or missed.[24]

Mauro Longobardo was appointed chief executive officer of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, effective 18 February 2020.[citation needed]

Wartime operations 2022-present

[edit]

Due to a shortage of men, AMKR saw a significant increase in the number of women employed in what would traditionally be considered male professions (such as diesel locomotive drivers).[25] As of March 2026, the plant employed more than 4,000 women, occupying 18.8% of management roles. In 2025, 355 women, which made up more than half of all new employees, were hired. As of early 2026, AMKR employed 18,000 people, including 356 veterans.[26][27] More than 3,500 of its male employers have been mobilised into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[28]

On 1 January 2026, AMKR ceased the supply of steel to the European Union due to restrictions imposed by the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.[29] As a result, a reported 300,000 tons worth of orders were cancelled, more than 3,400 employees were made redundant, and the plants blooming mill, as well as casting and mechanical shops were shut down.[30][31] GMK Center reported that the company had been operating at a financial loss for five consecutive years, surviving on support from its parent company.[26] In May 2026, the company reported further difficulties in production, due to high electricity and gas prices, as well as a disruption of its rail based logistics from provided by Ukrainian Railways.[32][33]

In 2026, AMKR was targeted in a series of ballistic missile strikes by Russian forces.[34][35] On 25 September 2026, ArcelorMittal stated that it would be unable to restart production, due to damage to production facilities following the series of Russian ballistic missile strikes.[36][37][38] The company reported that over $700 million USD had been provided to sustain the plant, but it expected to record a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $1 billion USD in non-monetary assets due to extensive damage. In 2025, its last full year of operation, AMKR produced 1.69 million tonnes of steel, resulting in the company paying 8.5 billion UAH in taxes and duties.[39]

Production

[edit]

In 2005, the plant produced over 6 MT of crude steel, 5 MT of rolled products and 5.5 MT of hot metal.[40]

Located entirely in Kryvyi Rih, this steel company was built as an integrated mining and steel plant, comprising: an iron ore mine, ore processing factories and two open pits, a coke-processing plant, three sinter shops, steel workshops of different types (two blast furnace shops, blooming facilities) and three metal-rolling workshops.[citation needed]

Production volumes in 2021 were as follows:[citation needed]

  • Ore mining: 24.5 million tons
  • Concentrate: 11 million tons
  • Hot metal: 5.3 million tons
  • Steel: 4.9 million tons
  • Rolled products: 4.6 million tons

Until the Russian-Ukrainian war, the steel plant was one of the most important Ukrainian companies and was a globally important steel producer. In Ukraine it was the largest steel manufacturer of both rebar and wire rod. ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih also specialized in the manufacture of sections, angles, strips and billets.[citation needed]

Production had fully and indefinitely stopped by September 2026, following ballistic missiles attacks which destroyed the blast furnaces.[3]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Historical chronicle of events (Kryvyi Rih City) 1734-1900", kryvyirih.dp.ua, archived from the original on 13 July 2007
  2. ↑ "Власники та бенеціфіціари компанії ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih". opendatabot.ua (in Ukrainian). 2025-10-10. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
  3. 1 2 Fabrice Deprez (2026-09-20). "Russia's new air campaign seeks to destroy Ukrainian economy". Financial Times. Earlier this month, ballistic missile strikes disabled Ukraine's three major remaining steel plants in the industrial heartlands of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, killing 17 workers and threatening an industry that helped drive the country's growth for decades after independence. Two ballistic missiles struck the Zaporizhzhia site again on Thursday, the fourth attack against the steel plant in less than a month. "As of today, [Ukraine] doesn't have a steel industry any more," Oleksandr Vodoviz, head of the chief executive's office at Metinvest, a steel and mining company that owns two of the three plants targeted in the recent attacks, told the FT. "They knew everything about the plant, they knew exactly where to hit," Vodoviz said. Ballistic missiles targeted the blast furnaces at the three plants, including two owned by Metinvest and an ArcelorMittal factory in Zelenskyy's native city of Kryvyi Rih. Metinvest and ArcelorMittal said the factories — which together made up 90 per cent of the country's steel output — were now idle. "Right now we do not understand how long it will take to make the repairs, days, weeks, months or years," said Vodoviz. He said the shutdown of the plants, which together have more than 15,000 workers, could have major knock-on effects "and a huge impact on taxes".
  4. ↑ Парадоксальные воспоминания о будущем КРИВОРОЖСТАЛИ. Bittersweet memories of the future KRYVORIZHSTAL h.ua
  5. ↑ "Історія створення "залізного серця" України - "Криворіжсталі" - kryvyi-rih.one". 25 June 2022.
  6. 1 2 N. A. Gurov (July 1979). "Phases of large growth — The 45th anniversary of the Krivorozhstal' plant". Metallurgist. 23 (7). Springer New York: 439–443. doi:10.1007/BF00736640. ISSN 0026-0894. S2CID 137266340. Krivorozhstal' Plant. Translated from Metallurg, No. 7, pp. 6–8, July, 1979.
  7. ↑ Кривой Рог - город шахтеров и металлургов Archived 2010-02-26 at the Wayback Machine Kryvyi Rih --city of miners and metallurgists www.krivbassham.org
  8. 1 2 3 АрселорМиттал Кривой Рог (Криворожсталь) ArcelorMittal steel (Kryvorizhstal) file.liga.net
  9. ↑ КРИВОРОЖСКИЙ КОКСОХИМИЧЕСКИЙ ЗАВОД[link removed] Kryvyi Rih Coke plant chem2.expoweb.ru
  10. ↑ Marat Terterov, ed. (2006), "1. Editor's Introduction - Roses, Oranges and Foreign Investors", Ukraine Since the Orange Revolution: A Business And Investment Review, GMB Publishing Ltd, p. 8, ISBN 184673004X
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 John Marone (19 March 2010), "Monopolies thrive as toothless state bows to moguls", www.kyivpost.com, Kyiv Post
  12. 1 2 Чистая прибыль "Криворожстали" составила 2012,610 млн. гривен, ukrrudprom.com (in Russian), 15 June 2005
  13. ↑ Alex Nicholson (14 May 2004), "Severstal Warns Kiev Over Major Sell-Off", www.themoscowtimes.com, The Moscow Times, Ukraine has set a minimum bid of $714 million for 93.1 percent of Kryvorizhstal, one of Ukraine's few profitable metals companies. It reported pre-tax profits of $302 million last year and has a capacity of 6 million tons of rolled steel, 7 million tons of steel and 7.8 million tons of pig iron
  14. ↑ Как закалялась "Криворожсталь"!, rosinvest.com (in Russian), 16 August 2005
  15. 1 2 "Mittal buys Ukraine's Kryvorizhstal for 4.81 bln usd - UPDATE", www.forbes.com, AFX News Limited via Forbes, 24 October 2005[dead link]
  16. ↑ Krivorozhstal renamed as Mittal Steel Kryvyi Rih Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine 14 January 2006, via steelguru.com
  17. ↑ "Mittal Steel Kryvyi Rih" renamed for "ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih" 22.06.2007 www.kmu.gov.ua
  18. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Fact Book 2007" (PDF), www.arcelormittal.com, ArcelorMittal, p. 129, June 2007[permanent dead link]
  19. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Fact Book 2008" (PDF), www.arcelormittal.com, ArcelorMittal, p. 97, June 2008[permanent dead link]
  20. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Fact Book 2009" (PDF), www.arcelormittal.com, ArcelorMittal, p. 97, June 2009[permanent dead link]
  21. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih: overview of 2009", www.arcelormittal.com, ArcelorMittal, 16 March 2009
  22. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Fact Book 2010" (PDF), www.arcelormittal.com, ArcelorMittal, p. 30,77, July 2011[permanent dead link]
  23. ↑ "OJSC "ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih" announces its November production results", www.arcelormittal.com, ArcelorMittal, 17 December 2010
  24. ↑ "Despite hardships, head of Kryvyi Rih steel plant ArcelorMittal determined to keep operations running". The Kyiv Independent. 2024-09-24. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  25. ↑ "A new force in the Ukrainian steel industry: how the war is changing the role of women at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih". GMK. 2026-09-24. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  26. 1 2 "In Q1 2026 ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih lost 300,000 tons of steel exports due to CBAM". GMK. 2026-04-07. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  27. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih ranks among the top 50 employers for veterans, according to Delo.ua". GMK. 2026-06-24. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  28. ↑ "Ukrainian women wanted in factories as men drafted into army". Financial Times.
  29. ↑ "Why is the European Commission closing the door on Ukrainian steel?". GMK. 2026-07-30. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  30. ↑ "In Q1 2026 ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih lost 300,000 tons of steel exports due to CBAM". GMK. 2026-04-07. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  31. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih has permanently ceased production at its blooming mill". GMK. 2026-03-16. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  32. ↑ "ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is shutting down production due to logistics issues". GMK. 2026-05-07. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  33. ↑ "Ukraine's largest mining and metallurgical company has stopped production". www.oreanda-news.com. 2026-05-07. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  34. ↑ ricardo (2026-08-17). "ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih Hit by Missile Attack: Production Partially Halted - EUROMETAL". Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  35. ↑ "ArcelorMittal to shutter Ukraine plant after Russian strikes kill workers". Financial Times.
  36. ↑ "ArcelorMittal announces that it is unable to safely and sustainably restart operations at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih following multiple recent missile strikes". corporate.arcelormittal.com. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  37. ↑ "ArcelorMittal is unable to resume safe operations at its Ukrainian plant". GMK. 2026-09-25. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  38. ↑ "Ukraine's biggest steel plant announces closure after Russian strikes". POLITICO. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  39. ↑ Hennessey, Michael (2026-09-25). "ArcelorMittal Drops Plan to Restart Ukrainian Operations After Missile Strikes". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  40. ↑ "Mittal Steel Company Acquires a 93% Stake in Kryvorizhstal in Ukraine", www.prnewswire.com, Mittal Steel Company NV, 24 Oct 2005

Sources

[edit]
  1. Dan Stern (2011-04-06), "Testing the mettle of Ukraine's steel city", news.bbc.co.uk, BBC World News
  2. Reuters - Major Ukraine steel plant ramps back up - but Russian troops are close Archived 18 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine.] (April 27, 2022);
  3. The CEO of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih spoke about the Company's operation under quarantine Archived 23 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine.] (31 March 2020);
  4. WPROST - Gigantyczna fabryka wznowi produkcję w mieście Zełenskiego. „To jest symbol. Ukraina żyje” Archived April 27, 2022, at the Wayback Machine.] (02.04.2022);
  5. Il Sole24 Ore - Chi è l’italiano che sta dietro all’acciaio ucraino (May 31, 2022);
  6. Financial Times - Ukraine: the $10bn steel plant at the heart of Russia's economic warfare
  7. The Wall Street Journal - Ukraine's Economy Stabilizes, a Boost Alongside Rapid Military Gains Archived September 26, 2022, at the Wayback Machine.] (September 13, 2022);
[edit]

47°52′26″N 33°23′50″E / 47.8739°N 33.3972°E / 47.8739; 33.3972

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ArcelorMittal_Kryvyi_Rih&oldid=1377220875"