TRENDS IN THE GRINDING MEDIA MARKET OF UKRAINE

The grinding media market of Ukraine is developing under the influence of many factors and is divided into the market of steel grinding balls and the market of cast-iron balls and cylpebs.

According to Energoteel Company’s estimates, the volume of the grinding media market of Ukraine is about 220,000 tons. Local producers cover 94%. Steel rolled balls undertake the most significant share (80%) in consumption structure. The market share of cast-iron grinding bodies is less than 20% and decreases each year. This is primarily because the use of steel grinding balls in comparison with cast-iron grinding bodies provides better grinding and lower specific consumption of grinding bodies. It is of particular relevance that the decrease in the consumption of cast-iron cylpebs from 7% in 2018 to less than 2% in 2020. This form of grinding bodies was historically invented in the Soviet era, as it was impossible at that time to produce small-diameter balls by casting. Gradually, this type of grinding bodies has become obsolete due to the more efficient use of the grinding balls assortment of small diameter, which fill the «emptiness» in the mill and contribute to the thinner grinding of raw materials.

There are about 10 manufacturers of grinding bodies of different quality and scale in Ukraine. Company «Energosteel» is one of the leading players in the steel grinding balls market of Ukraine with market share at 20%. At the same time, the main specialization of our company is the production of balls with increased volume hardness and high performance properties on the level of leading world producers.