The main aim of Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) in terms of quality control is the development and production of high quality, competitive metal products, capable of fulfilling the demands and expectations of Russian and international consumers and ensuring the financial stability of the company. This target is fixed in MMK’s Quality Policy.

At present, MMK has 57 active Certificates of Conformity for its products, the validity of which is constantly confirmed by periodic inspections and checks by the certifying authorities. 
At MMK, the following management systems have been implemented and certified to be in line with international standards: QMS: ISO 9001, IATF 16949 and CTO Gazprom 9001; EMS: ISO 14001; ISLPMS: OHSAS 18001. Certification of adherence to the latest standards of ISO 45001 is planned for September 2020.

MMK uses the following methods and instruments for the control and development of management systems: integrated internal audits of the quality management system (QMS), environmental management system (EMS) and industrial safety and labour protection management system, conducted by specialists of the quality system group. Audits of the QMS include an audit of the system, an audit of the process and an audit of the product.

Additionally, the production units see a thrice-weekly product audit by specialists of the plant’s department of product control and technical services, which is conducted according to a specially developed unified checklist. Monthly audit compilation reports are put together based on these checklists, which are then passed on to the highest management and other relevant authorities of MMK. These results are also an integral part of the monthly quality control analysis of the production units.

At present, a project aimed at conducting multi-level “comprehensive” audits of production units at the steelmaking and rolling shops is being implemented at MMK. Audits are conducted by representatives of the production units, the product control department, technical services and the plant’s external acceptance specialists. Audits are conducted on a weekly basis according to checklists developed individually for each unit of machinery in the shop.

A “Unified information system for the management of corrective measures based on inspection results” has been implemented, which ensures that shop workers respond swiftly to emerging issues with product quality. The system also makes it possible to evaluate the results of newly developed corrective and restrictive measures and to control the individual involvement of working group members in the development and approval of restrictive measures.

A project is being implemented on the information system for controlling and improving technical discipline in steelmaking and rolling shops, aimed at personalising the responsibility of technical personnel for maintenance of the production process with regard to filtering out low-quality products. A “technician’s personal office” has been created in the system, where an employee involved in the production process, as well as his supervisor, can acknowledge transgressions in the production process and the percentage of quality product minus the volume of product which was filtered out due to employee error.

Target indicators have been installed and are monitored as part of the information system. Data, which show the progress of each employee towards meeting the target indicators are available to employees and shop managers in the “technician’s personal office”, and combined information from the shops is sent to the highest management and other relevant authorities of MMK on a daily basis.

The implementation of this selection of measures will enable MMK to supply its consumers – which include leading automobile and pipe factories of Russia – with high-quality flat-rolled steel without increasing expenditure on quality control, as well as bring about MMK’s strategic initiative – to become the No.1 supplier for the most stringent clients of the Russian automotive industry.