Ukraine's Titanium UMCC fights for North American market, to send all ilmenite there in 2024 - acting management board chairman

MOSCOW. June 20 (Interfax) - Yegor Perelygin, the new director at Ukraine's PJSC United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC) titanium producer and appointed acting chairman of the management board by the country's cabinet of ministers in early June, has defined the main priorities of the group's activities, Ukrainian media reported, citing a UMCC press release.

UMCC said that operational stabilization and fulfillment of production plans were named as the key task during a meeting with the management held at the company's Volnogorsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK) branch.

"First, we must have the necessary minimum to ensure that the relevant workshops, shifts and equipment operate [...] Second is to focus on stripping operations and mining. Finding additional funding to increase their volumes is an important tactical area of work now. Third, we must already today work out options for the future functioning and development of the VGMK branch, particularly in the context of the degradation of the existing resource base [...] Fourth, we will return a number of oversight and regular working groups and working meetings to improve the operational management system," Perelygin said.

Perelygin also emphasized that nearly all of the ilmenite concentrate from the two branches of UMCC, VGMK and the Irshansky Mining and Processing Plant, IGOK, will be sent to North America in 2024. "In addition to the volumes already sold, this is 30,000-40,000 tonnes of Volnogorsk and 80,000 tonnes of Irshansky."

As for the sale of zircon, the demand for it is "for three to five months in advance", and rutile is also in high demand, Perelygin noted.

"It is very important currently that discipline in the team remains at the highest possible level, since the struggle for the joint-stock company's position in the North American market continues. We must fulfill all the plans and tasks set for the export of our key product in 2024," Perelygin said.

Perelygin, who last fall held the position of first deputy chairman of the management board at UMCC, said that the company had begun selling raw materials to Italy, Spain, and Germany and was systematically expanding its export geography.

It was reported that last year the company was able to ship more than 102,000 tonnes of products.

The United Mining and Chemical Company began operating as a state enterprise in August 2014, when the Ukrainian government decided to transfer the property complexes of VGMK and IGOK to it for management. The enterprises were previously leased to structures of Dmitry Firtash.

UMCC previously sold products to more than 30 countries and occupied 4% of the world market for titanium raw materials.