Recycling Solutions is one of the largest suppliers of granulated slag to the European Union
In 2023, Ukraine increased the export of granulated slag to the EU by 53%, i.e. to 367 thousand tons, and became the 4th largest supplier of this construction material. Of them, 324.5 thousand tons (+47.5% vs 2022) were provided by Recycling Solutions. According to the results of 2023, the company managed to increase the sale of construction additives on the Ukrainian and international markets.
44% of construction additives sold by Recycling Solutions were exported. In 2023, the largest volumes were purchased by customers from Poland and Slovakia. In addition to slag, in the fall of 2023, the company was the first among Ukrainian producers to ship 1,380 tons of dry ash for export. Last year, Recycling Solutions shipped 407.2 thousand tons of granulated slag to Ukrainian customers, which is 69% more than in the previous year.
“We managed to attract new customers and expand the sales market, despite that the European construction sector is amid crisis,” said Vadym Khoroshko, Manager of the Construction Additive Department of Recycling Solutions. “Europe lacks similar raw materials, and Ukraine can satisfy the demand of European manufacturers. For us, this is an opportunity to support the national economy and ensure the inflow of currency into the country.”
The total volume of granulated slag imports into the EU countries in 2023 amounted to 3.35 million tons. The leading suppliers are Japan (1.2 million tons), China (0.7 million tons), Turkey (0.7 million tons), and Ukraine. The main consumers of this product are cement factories, whose operations are currently unstable due to reduced demand. The European construction market and road building have slowed down significantly. On the other hand, the onset of implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in October 2023 has positively affected the waste and by-products market. Spring marks the start of a new cement production season, in which Recycling Solutions expects demand to remain at the level of 2023.
In Ukraine, the demand for construction additives is provided by reconstruction projects and the emergence of small tenders for the restoration of road surfaces. In 2023, Recycling Solutions sold 363.3 thousand tons of waste slag, which is used for construction and quick road repairs. The company also shipped 28 thousand tons of other ash and slag materials, which is 30% more than the figure for 2022.
In 2023, Recycling Solutions successfully launched a factory producing aluminosilicate microspheres in Burshtyn, Ivano-Frankivsk region. The factory uses equipment evacuated in 2022 from Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, which was close to the front line. Project investments amounted to 313 thousand US dollars. The start of production allowed the shipping of 521 tons of microspheres in 2023.