United Metallurgical Company launched Mill-5000

United Metallurgical Company (OMK), commissioned complex Mill-5000 (MKS-5000). It is designed to manufacture wide plates for production of large diameter pipes. The new plant will allow the Russian pipe manufacturers to increase their share on large diameter pipes international market. Informed Anatoly Sedikh (Chairman of the board, OMK), during the launching ceremony of Mill-5000 on Vyksa Steel Works (part of OMK, JSC).

“The most primary goal that we have set is to overcome the dependence on import purchases of steel plates. We have succeeded. Every year, Russia imported more than a million tons of wide plates, which costs one billion Euros. Today, the historic moment has come, the period of dependence of more than 50 years has came to an end”, said Anatoly Sedih, at the press conference.

The launching ceremony of Mill-5000 was attended by clients and partners of OMK from steel, oil and gas companies, representatives of equipment suppliers for the complex, SMS Siemag (Germany), domestic and international banks, that provided financing of the project, designers from Ukrgipromez (Ukraine) and construction company Strabag, JSC.

“Today, the construction of the most up to date rolling mill in the world has completed. We are very proud that we took part in this project. Such project is not only a successful cooperation between our companies, but also evidence of strong partnerships between our countries”, said Heinrich Weiss, the Chairman of Board of Directors of SMS group, at the opening ceremony of Mill-5000.

“The launch of Mill-5000 changes the balance of power in the domestic metallurgical and pipe markets. Pipes, which OMK supplied for the Nord Stream project, are used at the most critical areas for they are very reliable and are capable to withstand the pressure up to 220 atmospheres. With the launch of Mill-5000, OMK will enter the league of global manufacturers of wide plates and will produce pipes made of its own plates”, said Sergey Serdukov, Technical Director of Nord Stream.

Honorable guests witnessed the first steel sheet being rolled by Mill-5000 complex.

Mill-5000 was built within four and half years (May 2007 – October 2011). OMK’s new project primary goal is to completely eliminate the dependence of Russian pipe producing companies from imported plates and to provide domestically manufactured paltes for Vyksa Steel Works (part of OMK, JSC) and for other Russian pipe manufacturers. In addition to the pipe industry, products of Mill-5000 can be used in shipbuilding, bridge construction, nuclear and other industries. Investment in this project amounted to 45 billion rubles.

United Metallurgical Company (OMK) – is one of the largest Russian manufacturers of pipes, railroad wheels and other metal products for power-engineering, transportation and other industries. OMK comprises four major steel enterprises: Vyksa Steel Works, Almetyevsk Pipe Plant, Trubodetal and OMK-STEEL Casting and Rolling Complex.