NLMK has upgraded its reversing cold rolling mill for production of electrical grain-oriented steel to raise its capacity from 67 to 130 thousand tonnes per year, increase production of steel with advanced magnetic properties, replacing two obsolete production lines..

This project has been carried out within the framework of the 2nd Phase of Company’s Technical Upgrading Programme. The Programme will take place from 2007 to 2011 and is aimed at increasing the output of high-value added products.

The reversing mill performs second cold rolling of steel strip of 1,050 mm wide from 0.6-0.85 mm down to 0.23-0.5 mm at the speed of 8 m/s after decarburization annealing.  During its upgrade the mill  was equipped with automatic process control systems, including hydraulic screw-down device control, automatic gauge control and main electric drives that provide for high quality of the strip.

By the end of 2007 the Company  is commissioning new pickling facilities at the grain-oriented steel plant at its main production site in Lipetsk replacing two obsolete production lines.

The 2nd Phase of NLMK’s 2007-2011 Technical Upgrading Programme is aimed at increasing finished flats output from 5 to 9.5 m tonnes per year through the  modernization of the existing NLMK’s rolling facilities and the acquisition of new rolling assets. Total investment into the 2nd Phase of the Technical Upgrading Programme will amount to over USD4.0 billion by 2011.