Moscow, RUSSIA – April 30, 2004 – Mechel Steel Group has increased the output volumes of its main products in the 2004 Quarter 1 as compared to the same period of the last year. The biggest increase was in production of the rolled stock – by 24,8%, and hardware - by 69%.

Product Name	2004 Quarter 1 *	2004 Quarter 1, as compared to 2003 Quarter 1, %
Steel	1 312,3	+19,1
Rolled Stock	1 075	+24,8
Cast Iron	845,9	+10,1
Coke	726,6	+11,6
Hardware	129	+69
Wire	93	+59,4
Nails	9,3	+107
Ropes	13	+36,2
Calibrated Steel	10,7	+57,3
Stampings	12,8	-
Coal	3 620,6	+5,8
Coal Concentrate	3 058,8	+8,9
Iron-Ore Concentrate	910,4	-
Nickel	2,9	± 0

* thousand tons

All information on production indexes of the enterprises presented in the press release concerns only the period of their operation within Mechel Steel Group.

***

Steel production is carried out in Mechel Steel Group at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant in Russia, Industria Sarmei and COST companies in Romania, and Mechel Zeljezara plant in Croatia.

Rolled stock production is carried out at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, Izhstal and Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant in Russia, and Industria Sarmei and COST companies in Romania.

Cast iron is produced at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant.

Hardware is produced at Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant and Vyartsilya Metal Products Plant in Russia, Industria Sarmei and COST companies in Romania, and Mechel Nemunas in Lithuania.

Stampings are produced in Mechel Steel Group at Urals Stampings Plant.
Coal production and preparation in Mechel Steel Group is carried out at Southern Kuzbass Coal Company.

Iron-ore production and iron-ore concentrate turn out in Mechel Steel Group is carried out at Korshunov Mining Plant. Agglomerate id produced at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant.

Commercial nickel in Mechel Steel Group is produced by Southern Urals Nickel Plant.

***

Irina Ostryakova,
Director of External Communications
Phone: 7-095-258 1828
Fax: 7-095-258-1838
irina.ostryakova@mechel.com

***

Mechel is a Russian metals and mining company, uniting producers of steel, rolled products, hardware, coal, iron ore concentrate, and nickel. Mechel products are marketed domestically and internationally.