It is for the first time in two years that such a meeting will involve representatives of transportation departments of the three Russian leading steel-makers.

It will involve employees of all railroad division services of the transportation departments of the three companies - including locomotive depots and car sheds, railroad maintenance and communication services and representatives of automotive transportation departments.

The issues which are the most important to the participants are the organization of railroad transportation within the company, the relationships with transportation inspections, the use of information technologies in automotive transportation, etc.

The most effective innovations in these areas will be presented by Severstal representatives. For example, the participants will be familiarized with the IT support of the railroad transportation within the company and the use of project-goal approach at its transportation department.

The meeting participants will be able to see these innovations during a tour of the company's production and transportation facilities. The meeting will then move to Lipetsk and Magnitogorsk.

The meeting to exchange experience of the three Russian leading steel mills was first held in 2000 upon an initiative of Chermet Corporation. It was held for the first time in August 2000 having gathered experts on cold rolling. Since then electric arc furnace employees, blast furnace employees, cocking plant employees and representatives of hot rolling sheet and section steel shops and agglomeration units have met to exchange experience In June 2002, power engineers of the three companies have discussed their agenda. The meeting of representatives of machine-building and mechanical maintenance and repair services will be held in the fourth quarter of this year.