OREANDA-NEWS.  July 02, 2012. OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter, MMC Norilsk Nickel, the Company or the Group) informs on innovation activity results for the five months of 2012, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

For the period from January to May, 133 rationalization innovations were implemented totally within the Group. That resulted in annual economic effect of about RUB 257 mln., which exceeds the indicator for the same period last year in 10 times. As of early June, 2011, the annual effect from the implementation of unregistable results of intellectual activity was estimated as RUB 27 mln.

“The Company extensively supports its employees’ initiatives aimed at improving process flow sheets”, - emphasized Head of Intellectual Property Section of the Company’s Research and Development Division, Nina Brazhnik. – “We encourage the personnel’s innovation activities and we see a positive trend: the number of specialists involved in the activity increases year on year”.

Most of the innovations were proposed by the employees of the Polar Division of MMC Norilsk Nickel. Over a half out of 142 proposals for the improvement of the technology, machinery and equipment was submitted for consideration by the Polar Division’s employees. "It should be noted that employees of the Company’s subsidiaries are also vigorously involved in the activity”, - said Mrs. Brazhnik. – “A special tribute shall be paid to consistent efforts of the employees of Norilsk Procurement Complex LLC and OJSC Norilsk Taimyr Energy Company" (NTEC).

For example, the proposal of Yaroslav Burmistrov, Deputy General Director for Capital Construction of OJSC NTEK, to extend the capacity of boiler rooms of power station No.3 made it possible to reduce heat consumption required for energy generation significantly. Annual savings will amount to RUB 7.5 mln.

Innovation involving optimization of a protective layer design by drilling relief holes, co-authored by Alexander Kositsyn, Deputy Chief Engineer of Taimyrsky Mine, made it possible to save over RUB 4 mln.

On the eve of Innovator’s Day traditionally celebrated in Russia on the last Saturday of June, MMC Norilsk Nickel’s management expresses gratitude and appreciation to all employees of the Group involved in innovative activities.

“MMC Norilsk Nickel is constantly working to improve the technologies used”, said Vladimir Dyachenko, Head of Research and Development Division of the Company, “And it's very gratifying that not only members of our research unit are involved in this work, but also professionals busy at the Company’s operations. Teamwork allows for a more intensive development of the Group”.