The total investment expenditures in the metallurgical sector last year amounted to 278.4 million lei, increasing, in nominal terms, by 42.3% compared to 2018, according to data centralized by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

Investments increased for equipment used for batch preparation (13.4 times), other metallurgical installations (127.2%), furnaces for the preparation of cast iron and ferroalloys (126.8%), continuous casting (+ 46.0%) and rolling mills (+ 7.4%). Investment expenditures decreased for steel smelters (-7.4%).

Environmental protection expenditures accounted for 14.2% of total investment expenditures, registering an increase of 191.2% compared to 2018.

In 2019, crude steel production was 3.43 million tons, down 2.8% from the previous year. Consumption of ferrous agglomerate remained at the same level, and consumption of iron ores and concentrates increased by 1.1%, which led to an increase in blast iron production by 3.9%. Consumption of pellets for cast iron production decreased by 13.3%, according to Agerpres.