Belarus and Turkey are going to significantly increase the production of tin

The commissioning of new factories in Belarus and Turkey will significantly increase the production of electrolytic tin. The new lines will ensure the growth of exports from these countries to the CIS and the European Union. The two facilities together are expected to add 495,000 tonnes of tinplate per year to the production capacity by the end of 2018.

In Turkey, production will begin in 2016 and will be the first phase in a planned 400 million steel mill under construction in the Osmaniyye province in southern Turkey. The project is being carried out as part of a joint venture between Turkey and Japan led by the Turkish company Tosyali Holdings and the Japanese company Toyo Kohan. The plant will produce construction steel sheets. In addition, about 255 thousand tons of tinplate will be produced here annually.

It is estimated that Turkish domestic demand for tinplate is 350,000 - 400,000 tons per year. Once the new plant is commissioned, the country will be able to meet at least 50 percent of the demand, which is projected to remain strong in the near future. In addition, the plant's proximity to the Mediterranean will help increase exports from the region.

The plant under construction in Belarus will produce both sheet metal and cold-rolled steel. The first production is slated for 2017. The Belarusian group MMPZ is going to invest about $ 220 million in a plant to be built in the Vitebsk region of Belarus in the city of Miory. The initial capacity of the plant is projected at 150 thousand tons of tinplate per year, which will be increased to 240 thousand tons by the end of 2018.

The estimated annual demand for tinplate in Belarus is almost 30,000 tons per year. The commissioning of a sheet metal production facility will help the country replace all imports. Russia, being a major importer of tin, is a promising export market for Belarus, which is a member of the customs union, which makes export easier.