OREANDA-NEWS. The Cherepovets Steel Mill, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated steel mills and part of the Russian Steel division of OAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies, announces that in 2013 it produced 1 258 000 tonnes of long products, the highest production volume for five years.

Sergey Toropov, CEO of Severstal’s Russian Steel division, commented: “I am pleased to report that 2013 saw a 14%, or 158 000 tonne increase in production against 2012. This increase was delivered thanks to organisational and technical initiatives that we introduced to increase slab production for long products, the performance of section mills as well as the hard work, skill and dedication of my colleagues.”

A number of measures were introduced to increase hourly production rates at Mill 250, which saw the most product demand in 2013.Growing demand in the construction sector drove an increase in the production of long products.

In 2013, the Company saw a 27% or 162 000 tonne increase in shipments of long products to the construction industry, compared with 2012. In 2014 the Company will continue delivering long products for the northwest Western High-Speed Diameter, one of the largest infrastructure projects currently under development. Fittings for construction of the road are being delivered by the St. Petersburg branch of ZAO TD Severstal-Invest (part of the Distribution Network of Severstal’s Russian Steel division). Shipments began in August 2013 and will continue until February 2015. 100% of the long products will be manufactured at Cherepovets Steel Mill, with 80% produced at Mill 250, and the remainder at Mill 350.