UrBC, Yekaterinburg, May 11, 2017. EVRAZ Holding’s West-Siberian Integrated Metallurgical Works (ZSMK) is now working on a project to enable the plant to make new lengths of rails that meet European standards and to make more 100-meter R65 rails.

According to the company press service, the goal is to get the 100-meter rail production site completely retooled; this is going go cost 168m RUR.

‘The plant’s rail-making department will get complemented with a second 100-meter rail finishing line with a new control unit, a vertical straightening press, and a drilling/cutting machine. Also, the production process will get fully automated to enhance the renovated department’s efficiency,’ the press service says.

Once the second finishing line has been launched, the plant will start making the European-standard 60E1 and 54E1 rails that are 30, 36, 60, 72, and 90 meters long. The plant will also be making twice as many 100-meter R65 rails as before.

The plant completed its first large-scale reconstruction of the rail department in 2013. The project required over 18bn RUR to implement.