The conference’s agenda concentrates on steel industry’s problems. They will be discussed by top managers of the largest international companies, including Arcelor, Ford and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Vadim Makhov, Severstal-group’s deputy general director on strategy, will speak of the relationship between Russian and international steel-makers and ways they influence one another. He will also cover Severstal’s efforts in cutting costs, manufacturing competitive high value added products, working with key target customers, HR development, and building corporate culture to enhance the plant’s competitive position.

Besides that, Vadim Makhov noted that just like every Russian company in the ferrous metallurgy Severstal is experiencing an impact of a simultaneous drop in manufacturing costs by 2% and a slash in steel prices by 2%. “Therefore, our task is to move forward faster than the mentioned 2%. Otherwise we will find ourselves climbing an escalator, which is going down. That will keep us in the same place,” he said.

03 March 2003