NLMK Lipetsk, NLMK Group's flagship production site,  has launched a recovery complex to capture and process chemical by-products from coke and chemical operations. The project will enable an increase in the production of raw materials for the chemical industry and the agricultural sector, and halve the shop's air emissions.

Denis Manturov, Russian Minister of Industry and Trade, and Igor Artamonov, Acting Head of the Lipetsk Region Administration, attended the opening ceremony.

The new complex was built with the use of best available technologies (BAT). It captures the entire volume of gas generated during the heating of coals in coke oven batteries and purifies it, while the chemicals released during the purification process are further processed into products for third parties: crude benzene used as feedstock in the chemical industry, and ammonium sulphate used in the production of nitrogenous fertilizers in the agricultural sector. Purified coke oven gas is used as fuel for the coke ovens themselves and for the site's power plants.

The new equipment and sustainable technologies will enable the recovery of 100% of ammonium sulphate dust, and significantly reduce the shop’s emissions: hydrogen sulphide by 31%, phenol by 71%, ammonia by 79%, and naphthalene by 23%.

The company’s total investment in the project amounted to RUB 4.6 bn.

Konstantin Lagutin, NLMK Group Vice President, Investment Projects, said:

“The chemical by-products recovery complex that combines coke oven gas flows from all coke batteries is practically waste-free. It is designed using advanced technologies and ensures efficient gas purification, process safety and high environmental performance.”

About NLMK Group

NLMK Group is the largest steelmaker in Russia and one of the most efficient in the world.

NLMK Group’s steel products are used in various industries, from construction and machine building to the manufacturing of power-generation equipment and offshore wind turbines.

NLMK operates production facilities in Russia, Europe and the United States. The Company’s steel production capacity exceeds 17 million tonnes per year.

NLMK has the most competitive cash cost among global manufacturers and one of the highest profitability levels in the industry. In 12M 2018, the Company generated $12 billion in revenue and $3.6 billion in EBITDA. Net debt/EBITDA stood at 0.25õ. The Company has investment grade credit ratings from S&P, Moody’s, Fitch and RAEX (Expert RA).

NLMK’s ordinary shares with a 19% free-float are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (ticker "NLMK") and its global depositary shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (ticker "NLMK:LI"). The share capital of the Company is divided into 5,993,227,240 shares with a par value of RUB1. For more details on NLMK shareholder capital please follow the link.