Русский
Steelmakers in Russia’s Chelyabinsk Region have shipped product to Iraq in the first half of 2025 for the first time in almost three years, according to the Chelyabinsk regional customs service.
Andrey Gursky, acting head of the Chelyabinsk Customs Office, stated, “The Chelyabinsk Customs Office pays special attention to our metallurgical enterprises and actively promotes the development of foreign trade, creating favorable conditions for stability and growth in supplies to international markets.”
The foreign trade turnover of the region’s metallurgy industry broke down into 70% exports and 30% imports in the first half. Metal products were exported to 25 countries. The largest markets were Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, exports to which consisted mostly of ferrous metal products.
More than 50 large and medium businesses in the industry conducted foreign economic activity in the first half, the customs service said. Most freight was processed at the ChEMK (Chelyabinsk Electrometallurgical Works) customs post and the Magnitogorsk railway station. Russia’s MMK is the largest steelmaker in Chelyabinsk, including flat products and long products. Flat steel finds extensive use across numerous industries and is a key component in construction, manufacturing, and automotive sectors. Long steel is used for construction, infrastructure projects, and manufacturing. Key applications include reinforcement in concrete, structural components in buildings and bridges, and components in machinery and automotive parts.
The world’s largest steelmaking countries are China, India, Japan, the United States, and Russia, in that order. China produces more steel than the rest of the world combined.
The Iraqi economy is growing, with local media suggesting 4.1% growth although some sources put real growth lower. The INSTC railway network, which runs from Russia through Iran to South Asia, may also be extended to Baghdad and if so would play a key growth role in Iraq’s future growth.
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