The audit was conducted by Lloyd's Register's auditing committee. It evaluated all aspects of the plant's quality management system. The 2000 version of ISO 9002 has some major differences from its predecessor - ISO 9002:94, which was issued to all main units of Severstal. The ISO 9002:94 was of a more local nature. It primarily evaluated product quality management. The new version takes into consideration also the quality of management process itself and the systems approach to management.

A quarter of the Mill's 5000 output is thick sheet, pipe and billets, which go to foreign markets. The ISO 9002:2000 certificate is going to be an additional incentive to buy our products, which is very important to foreign clients," said A. Pogozhev, Severstal's production director. Next week all other company units will be audited to the ISO 9002:2000.