Steel, construction materials and equipment: the demand is there, but the specification decides everything

← All analysis

Sources: ASK — imports by HS4, UN Comtrade, Ukrainian customs statistics.

What has to be matched

• the exact HS6 code and the commercial description;
• the EN, ISO or other standard used by the project;
• the steel grade, strength class, coating, tolerances and dimensions;
• declarations of performance, testing and factory production control;
• drawings, the bill of materials and welding requirements;
• packaging, corrosion protection, the loading and unloading plan;
• the possibility of installation, warranties and technical support;
• the currency, raw-material indexation, price validity and the delivery schedule.

Where the statistics are most misleading

Import value can rise because of the price of metal rather than physical volume. HS4 groups together different sizes and standards. A large market may be closed off by long-term contracts or by the dominance of regional suppliers.

A practical entry model

• Choose one narrow specification rather than “all metal products”.
• Prepare an English-language technical package and a table of conformity with the standards.
• Obtain from a local partner a real enquiry with quantities, place of delivery and a schedule.
• Calculate two logistics models and the acceptable consignment size.
• Agree the procedure for inspection, acceptance and claims before production begins.

Sources

• ASK — imports by HS4
• UN Comtrade
• Ukrainian customs statistics