OREANDA-NEWS  On 25 February was announced, that Uzbekistan's steel producer, Uzmetkombinat, produced 52,650 metric tonnes of steel in January, up 8.6% year-on-year. Steel roll output in January increased by 5.1% year-on-year to 49,180 tonnes.

Uzmetkombinat uses steel scrap for smelting, supplied by other Central Asian states, and supplies have dwindled lately.

The steel smelter invested USD 9.5 million in modernization in 2008, which accounts for the increase in output.

The smelter produced 674,300 tonnes of steel in 2008, 4.5% more than in 2007, and 643,100 tonnes of steel roll, an increase of 3.8% year-on-year.