Altai-koks and Ilyich conclude coke contract

The Russian coke producer Altai-koks, a subsidiary of Novolipetsk Steel, has concluded its yearly coke supply contract with the Ukrainian steelmaker Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol for 2007. According to the contract, Altai-koks will supply Ilyich with 50,000 metric tons of coke per month. In 2006, Altai-koks supplied about 172,000 metric tons of coke to Ilyich. The coke shipments to the Ukrainian steelmaker were temporarily stopped in February 2006 when the Ukrainian domestic coke producers increased their production. However, the supplies of coke were subsequently resumed in September 2006 due to a drop in Ukrainian domestic coke production caused by a scarcity of coking coal.