OREANDA-NEWS. On 21 July 2009 was announced, that MMK registered in the International Material Data System (IMDS), a system of databases for automotive components and materials.

The system was created in 2000 on the initiative of Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, Opel, Porsche, Volkswagen and Volvo in order to unite efforts in collecting and systematizing  information on auto components along the entire supply chain. This system provides automakers and their contractors with information on all the materials used in the manufacture of auto parts and assemblies. The creation of the IMDS was prompted by directives of the EU countries requiring exhaustive information from automakers with regard to materials used in car production, for the purpose of regulating recycling processes (disposal of used cars). The IMDS is a centralized, WEB-oriented data base with a possibility of Internet access for OEM manufacturers and their suppliers.  At present 19 auto-making companies and over 50,000 suppliers are registered in the system.

At the request of ZAO POLAD, Togliatti, Russia, data on steel grades S355MC according to EN 10149-2 (ID 112520758/1) and CS60 according to ISO 4960 (ID 113582437/1) was entered in the IMDS. MMK supplies rolled steel of these grades to ZAO POLAD for manufacturing safety systems' parts. These parts made of MMK's steel, are then shipped to car assembly manufacturers, such as  ARB-Moravan, Czech Republic, and TRW- Automotive, Germany.

Late last year MMK shipped a trial lot of 60 tons of hot rolled pickled strip to ZAO POLAD. Upon request of German customers which use parts made of this material, ZAO POLAD conducted a customer audit at MMK for compliance of the production process and the quality management system with the ISO/TU 16949:2002 international standard applicable to automakers and their suppliers. ZAO POLAD experts studied the entire quality management system of MMK, including the system of internal audits, interaction between the Company's divisions and the internal SMK standards. They also paid close attention to production conditions in Rolling Shop 8 where the material in question is produced. Following the audit OJSC MMK was awarded the highest grade and recognized as meeting the requirements of ZAO POLAD and its customers.

OJSC MMK's quality management system was first certified for compliance with the ISO/TU 16949:2002 standard in December of 2005. Last November the Company's SMK standards were re-certified for compliance with the automotive standard. Production of premium quality and safe steel for the automotive sector is one of OJSC MMK's priorities.