ChTPZ to increase steel pipe output to two million mt in 2011

One of the largest Russian pipe producers, Chelyabinsk Tube-Rolling Plant (ChTPZ), has announced that in 2011 it plans to increase its output of high value-added pipes and ramp up its billet production to full capacity, aiming to raise its steel pipe output to two million mt, including one million mt of large diameter (LD) pipes and 200,000 mt of OCTG.
 
In 2010, ChTPZ increased its steel pipe sales by 31 percent year on year to 1.485 million mt, due to growth in demand from its major oil and gas customers, including Gazprom and Transneft, and shipments from its new pipe electric-welding workshop Vysota 239, commissioned in July 23, 2010.
 
ChTPZ's sales volumes of LD pipes, OCTG and seamless industrial pipes in 2010 respectively increased by 64 percent to 600,000 mt, by 54 percent to 193,000 mt and 21 percent to 481,000 mt, as compared to 2009.
 
In 2010, ChTPZ maintained its position as one of the key LD pipe suppliers to major Russian pipelines, including ESPO 2 Pipeline, Baltic Pipeline System-2 and Purpe-Samotlor Pipeline projects.