NLMK Group, a global steel company, has launched a ‘virtual assistant’ pilot: a digital service for real-time interaction with suppliers and optimization of standard supply chain operations.

The virtual assistant, powered by QUBO dialogue system, is a chat bot integrated in the corporate website. The assistant replies to questions received from suppliers about participation in procurement procedures, how to fill out forms, resolve technical issues or use their personal accounts. Suppliers registered in the SAP SRM procurement management system can additionally rely on the virtual assistant for payment status updates.

Anatoly Khebnev, NLMK Group VP for Procurement, said:

“Our new service with its user-friendly interface will boost the efficiency of our interaction with our suppliers, improving the procurement process both for us and for our partners. With this resource-saving project we are making yet another step toward digital transformation.” 

About NLMK Group

NLMK Group is the largest steelmaker in Russia and one of the most efficient in the world.

NLMK Group’s steel products are used in various industries, from construction and machine building to the manufacturing of power-generation equipment and offshore wind turbines.

NLMK operates production facilities in Russia, Europe and the United States. The Company’s steel production capacity exceeds 17 million tonnes per year.

NLMK has the most competitive cash cost among global manufacturers and one of the highest profitability levels in the industry. In 2019, the Company generated $10.6 billion in revenue and $2.6 billion in EBITDA. Net debt/EBITDA stood at 0.7õ. The Company has investment grade credit ratings from S&P, Moody’s, Fitch and Expert RA.

NLMK’s ordinary shares with a 18.6% free-float are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (ticker "NLMK") and its global depositary shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (ticker "NLMK:LI"). The share capital of the Company is divided into 5,993,227,240 shares with a par value of RUB1. For more details on NLMK shareholder capital please follow the link.

For more information about NLMK Group, please visit our website.