Tariffs on steel products may be a mixed blessing for the Polish metal sector

The final decision is to be made at the beginning of April. This is good news for domestic producers. "In cooperation with the Metallurgical Chamber of Industry and Commerce we tried to receive securing programs. The share of seamless pipe imports stands at 45-50% of domestic production. With regard to our market segment it amounts to 20%," said the president of Batory Steel Mill, Marek Misiakiewicz. The company has an annual production capacity of 70,000 tons of seamless pipes. According to sector analysts, the introduction of the customs duty will have a significant effect on domestic companies. Comparing figures from 2004 with 2005 shows that imports of this product from Russia grew by 123% while they increased by 30% from Ukraine. On the other hand, domestic manufacturers fear that the Eastern companies will now invest in production facilities on the Polish market, such as Sinara which plans to acquire the Walcownia Rur Jedność pipe rolling facility, and lead to a price war. (Puls Biznesu, p. 8) A.K.