NLMK announces today that it has put at normal operational capacity Blast Furnace (BF) #3 at its main production site in Lipetsk. The furnace has a maximum production capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of pig iron per year. BF#3 was idled for a general overhaul in October 2008.

As part of the 100-day overhaul of the 2000 m3 unit, the furnace shell and refrigerators were partially renovated and the refractory was fully replaced. The overhaul cost was RUR65 million.