Uzbekistan's leading state-owned steel mill JSC Uzmetkobinat is seeking export opportunities to Europe as the structure of the longs market has changed after the EU's restrictions on imports earlier this year.
The producer has opened a trading office in Vilnius, Lithuania, and is aiming to achieve up to 40,000t in sales for 10-25mm diameter rebar and wire rod up. Attractive prices in Europe have made these sales viable despite high logistic costs for the supplier. Shipments will be available by truck and rail along with seaborne shipments via Klaipeda port in Lithuania.
"We are aiming to become a stable and long-time partner for the European market. As the mill is the largest steel producer in central Asia, we have all the needed knowledge, skills and capacities to be permanently present in Europe," JSC Uzmetkombinat executive director Dilshod Akhmedov said .
The supplier has already obtained certification for rebar exports into Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden and is in the process of finalising certification for Finland, Norway and Denmark. The company subsequently plans to enter other markets in central Europe.
The steelmaker produced 1,075,000t of rebar and other steel products last year, with exports reaching 123,000t.
