Metinvest's Romanian pipe plant faces possible closure amid raw material shortages
Metinvest, the Ukrainian steel group owned by Rinat Akhmetov, may have to shut its recently bought pipe factory in Iași, Romania, as sourcing problems persist.
Metinvest, the steel conglomerate controlled by Rinat Akhmetov, is evaluating whether to close the pipe factory it bought in Iași, Romania, less than a year ago. Sources close to the company outline three possible routes: continue operations, find a new buyer for the whole business, or break up the plant and sell the land, buildings and equipment individually. The trouble began a few months after the takeover, when the war in Ukraine hampered the flow of essential raw materials.
The purchase, finalized after the European Commission cleared it in November 2025, involved acquiring the former ArcelorMittal Tubular Products site, previously owned by the ArcelorMittal group. After the deal, Metinvest launched recruitment drives in April 2026, adding around 80 jobs to the roughly 200-strong workforce, but the situation has since deteriorated, prompting one outlet shutdown considerations.
Why it matters
The potential closure threatens jobs in Romania and highlights how the Ukraine war is disrupting supply chains for foreign investors.
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