NLMK Group, Russia’s leading producer of steel and high value-added products, has successfully passed certification audits confirming that its production of special-size slabs from high-strength and corrosion-resistant steel grades is compliant with the requirements set forth by certifying agencies Det Norske Veritas (Norway), Lloyd’s Register (Great Britain), and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (Russia).

Following the audits, which were conducted in accordance with the rules of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), NLMK obtained new certificates extending the scope of application for slabs from F and FH high strength steels and in new sizes – 355 mm thick and 2,200 mm wide.

High-strength slabs in unique sizes are supplied by NLMK’s main production site in Lipetsk to Russian manufacturers of large-diameter pipes. They are also used by NLMK Europe Plate Products Division for the manufacture of a wide range of thick plates used for offshore windmills and drilling platforms, shipbuilding, and other industrial applications where steel structures have to be particularly strong and corrosion-resistant.

Production of these products was made possible by a multi-billion rouble investment in upgrading and improving process equipment at NLMK Group’s main production site in Lipetsk.

Ilya Guschin, NLMK Group Vice President for Sales, said:

“An analysis of the market which takes Northern Europe into account indicates that there is stable demand for premium steel products, such as high-strength and unique-dimension thick plates. We believe that these international certificates will help further enhance the trust held

for NLMK Group products, and ultimately to consolidate our position in this niche high-margin segment.”

As part of a single production chain, NLMK’s Lipetsk site supplies wide slabs from high-strength steels to NLMK DanSteel A/S – a Group company based in Denmark that manufactures a wide range of thick plates for the production of windmills, drilling platforms, shipbuilding, yellow goods, and infrastructure.

In Russia, NLMK supplies slabs with superior chemical composition and steel structure standards to Vyksa Steel Works (VMZ, part of OMK Group) for the manufacture of wide plates and large-diameter pipes. The dimensions of these slabs are unique for the Russian market.

About NLMK Group

NLMK Group is a vertically integrated steelmaking company, and Russia’s leading manufacturer of steel and HVA rolled products. NLMK Group’s high-quality steel products are used in a variety of industries, from construction and machine-building to the manufacture of power generation equipment and offshore windmills.

NLMK’s production facilities are located in Russia, Europe and the USA. The Company’s crude steel capacity is over 17 mt per annum, of which approximately 16 mt are located in Russia. The Company generated $12.2 billion in revenue and $1.9 billion in EBITDA in 2012.

NLMK’s ordinary shares are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (ticker “NLMK”) and its global depositary shares on the London Stock Exchange (ticker “NLMK:LI”).

Media contact info:
Sergey Babichenko
+7 (916) 824 6743
babichenko_sy@nlmk.com

Investor Relations contact info:
Sergey Takhiev
+7 (495) 915 1575
tahiev_sa@nlmk.com