By now Severstal has completely mastered the entire pipe product line for Uliyanovsk Automotive Plant. These pipes are used in the make up of traditional and new car models.

Severstal has also met a demand of MAZ - another Russian car-making company - for welded rolled formed section steel of high quality, exceptional surface finish and anticorrosive characteristics as part of a special program. Additionally, in order to support MAZ’ program of manufacturing of new cars, Severstal has began making new rolled formed channels of the highly durable grade of steel. The production of this item will expand the product offering and output, lower price of sales of a new vehicle with a carrying capacity of 4.5 tonnes. A test lot of the product was shipped to MAZ in 2002. The processing a rolled formed channel, used in the make up of chassis frames had proved it to completely meet consumer requirements in terms of mechanical characteristics and shape. The first of regular shipments of this product to MAZ will amount to 65 tonnes.

The rolled formed channel for the make up of the chassis frame of a 4.5 tonne MAZ vehicle is not the only type of product, which will be mastered by Severstal in 2003 for its key target customers. The two companies has held a coordinating council on the 27th of February in Mink, Belorussia. It has outlined a joint program to increase the range of pipes and grades of steel of higher durability with view to reduce weight of an automobile.

Besides that, test batches of steel with alumosiliceous coating will be shipped to MAZ. They are expected to be wider used in components and units of MAZ’ vehicles. Presently, Severstal meets 40% of MAZ’ demand in rolled steel. In 2003, this figure will go up to 50%.

24 March 2003