Metallurgical Industrial Complex of Nizhniy Tagil (part of Evraz Group) startsed to lay the furnace foundation in one of its shops. ‘At the moment, the work is in the excavation state; the furnace foundation is also being laid. This new apparatus for wheel billet heating will be used as part of the press-rolling line built at the Complex in December 2004. The new heating system will be fully automated, quick and less energy-consuming, which will surely enhance the quality of the billets,’ the company’s spokesperson reports. The construction of the furnace is part of the general wagon wheel

The main open-cast mine of Vanadium JSC, ore mining and processing enterprise of Kachkanar, put into operation the new ten-cube-capable ECG № 10 excavator produced by United Machine Building Works and electric machine works of Karpinsk. According to the company’s spokesperson, this is the first apparatus received since the beginning of the year. It is going to take about three months to assemble. ‘The company’s management is thinking of gradual replacement of the mining equipment with the more updated versions, like this replacement of 8-cube excavators with the more powerful ones,’ the

The Board of Directors of Rossi CJSC decided on April 21, 2006 as the date of the annual shareholder meeting. The shareholders will have to do the following: • go over the company’s financial achievements in 2005 and P&L distribution • elect the Board of Directors and the members of the inspection committee as well as the returning board • agree on the amendments to the company’s Charter.

Metallurgical Industrial Complex of Nizhniy Tagil has been experimenting with replacing the blast furnace feedstock. ‘The furnace charge used to contain the produce of 3 ore mining and processing enterprises, namely, those of Mikhailovsk, Kachkanar, and Vysokogorskiy – the last two members of Evraz Group like ourselves. We decided in November 2005 that we would stop buying from external sources and fully switch to Evraz suppliers, which would allow to reduce delivery costs and raise the number of orders we receive,’ the company’s spokesperson said. The produce of Kachkanar is rich in vanadium

Ufaleynickel JSC has given preventive overhaul to its № 4 shaft furnace by fixing Petrov forge fettling, the downtakes, the dirty gas reservoir, and replacing the spout slag granulation cutting-ditches. All repairs had been performed by the company’s specialists and completed well before the deadline.

Ural Smithy JSC of Chelyabinsk Region (part of Mechel JSC) announced the increase in net profits by 144.125m RUR (91.67 %). The company’s release states that this is due to the greater output of goods. Thus, the company’s net profit came to 301.342m in 2005.

Chelyabinsk Region Ministry of Agriculture does not decline its responsibility for the state of events at Uvelsky Veterinary and Sanitary Utilization Plant State Unitary Enterprise. In settling the money issues, the Ministry acts according to the earlier negotiated contracts between the plant, the profile ministry subcorporation and the Regional Government. The ministry worked out a new regime of financial interaction with the plant. These claims were made by PR-department of Chelyabinsk Region Ministry of Agriculture. The plant also entered Chelyabinsk Regional Privatization Plan for 2006

Chelyabinsky Metallurgichesky Kombinat JSC (Metallurgical Integrated Complex of Chelyabinsk/ChMK, member of Mechel JSC) starts reconstruction of hot rolling mill 300-2, PR-department of ChMK reported to UrBC representative. It is a medium-section mill whose rated annual capacity is 300,000 tons. The reconstruction is carried out in accordance with Mechel investments program. It is expected to raise ChMK rolling capacities for producing plain rebar and ribbed bar and to extend the range of the products manufactured in compliance with international standards DIN-EN, ASTM, BS. ChMK intends to