NLMK Group, an international steel producer with operations in Russia, Europe and the USA, is opening NLMK Europe’s Project Office, a new division for integrated planning and implementation of investment programmes at the Group’s European facilities.

Konstantin Lagutin, NLMK Group’s VP for Investment Projects, said:

“The new project office will allow us to integrate our European businesses into the unified corporate system, in order to manage NLMK Group’s investment activities whilst increasing the efficiency of project elaboration, development and implementation. This will radically improve the interaction between Russian and foreign assets and significantly reduce the time it takes to shape investment ideas, hone them and eventually put them into practice”.

The project office staff will manage investment programmes, provide guidance and practical support to project managers and working groups, generalize the experience, and distribute the best project management practices.

Vincent Wuyckens, who previously held the position of NLMK Europe Strip Technical Director, has been appointed Director of the project office.

To date there are more than 200 investment projects at the stage of development or implementation at NLMK Group’s European facilities. For instance, NLMK Europe Strip is in the final stage of its ultra-heavy coil processing project; it is also looking into a waste heat recovery project  for its reheating furnaces. NLMK Clabecq, a part of NLMK Europe Plate Division, is undertaking a project on shearing line automation and plate surface quality control; while NLMK Dansteel is getting ready to execute a range of projects aimed at improving the productivity of the rolling line. In the near future, the Project Office is to participate in the shaping of a 5-year development programme as part of the Company’s new strategic cycle.