OREANDA-NEWS. March 9, 2011. United Metallurgical Company (OMK) held the 8th Ivan and Andrey Batashev Foundation Award Ceremony in Vyksa (Nizhni Novgorod Region) on February 18, 2011, to encourage its employees ranking as the best on the basis of the 2010 results.

Winners in the following 10 nomination were announced: Best Pipe Specialist, Best Metallurgist, Best Maintenance Specialist, Best Engineer, Best Young Specialist, Best Professional, Best Manager, Best Project Manager, Best Business Specialist, and Best Top Manager. This year's Batashev Foundation Award winners and candidates were employees of Vyksa Steel Works, Casting and Rolling Complex (based in Nizhni Novgorod Region), Almetyevsk Pipe Plant (Tatarstan), Trubodetal (Chelyabinsk), and the OMK Head Office (Moscow). "The annual Batashev Foundation Award ceremonies to distinguish the best employees characterizes OMK as a company that appreciates and respects people who strive for innovations producing the highest results and quality," said Governor of the Nizhni Novgorod Region Valery Shantsev at the ceremony in Vyksa. Anatoly Sedykh, the Chairman of the OMK Board of Directors and the President of the Batashev Brothers Foundation, emphasized that 2010 was one of the most successful years for the Company: for the first time in its history, VSW produced 2 million tonnes of pipes a year, the OMK Casting and Rolling Complex reached its design capacity, and Russian Railways entered into a new five-year railroad wheel purchase contract with OMK. "Last year, our employees laid a strong foundation for this year's projects, including the launch of the Mill 5000 sheet-rolling facility," said Anatoly Sedykh.

"All the nominations are honorary ones and the contributions made by every worker, engineer, and manager are important for the Company," emphasized OMK President Vladimir Markin. "It was difficult to identify the very best ones. We have a great many of worthy employees contributing to the stability and success of our Company."

The Foundation named after the Batashev brothers, the founders of Vyksa Steel Works, was established by the OMK shareholders in October 2003 to encourage VSW's best employees. From 2009, OMK entities' employees eligible to receive the Batashev Foundation awards are those who achieved the best results in production and R&D activities and made the most significant contribution to the development of the Company. Batashev Foundation award winners receive bonuses, honorary diplomas and medals made by the Moscow Mint.