BMZ to produce seamless pipes

Belarusian Iron and Steel Works (BMZ) has begun the installation of equipment for the production of seamless pipes. The trial runs of the equipment are expected to start in early spring, while BMZ is planning to commence its production of seamless pipes in July of the current year. The designed capacity of the new pipe workshop is 250,000-280,000 metric tons of hot-rolled seamless pipes per year. BMZ plans to export 75 percent of this figure, mainly to the Asia-Pacific Ocean region, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. The necessary equipment for seamless pipe production was supplied to the mill by German company SMS Meer. In addition, in 2007 BMZ is planning to invest $50 million in the modernization of its steel production. The modernization will allow BMZ to reduce its expenditures for electricity and for supplementary materials used in production, and to increase production intensity.