Russian steelmaker Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has launched its mill 2000 - the first stage of a new cold rolling complex - during Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to MMK on July 15. The mill 2000, with an annual capacity of 2 million mt of finished steel products, will primarily produce high-quality cold rolled and galvanized steel to be used in the production of exterior and interior car parts, as well as for use by home appliance manufacturers and by the construction industry.
MMK's total investments in the mill 2000 project will reach approximately $1.5 billion. The company undertook the project in order to meet growing demand for high-quality cold rolled steel, primarily from car makers. The mill 2000 utilizes the most advanced technologies available in the industry today.
The first stage of mill 2000, commissioned on July 15, includes a continuous pickling line coupled with a tandem mill. The second stage of the complex, which will include a continuous hot dip galvanizing unit, a continuous annealing unit and a coil inspection unit, is planned to be commissioned in July 2012. The mill 2000 complex was shipped by the German machine building company SMS-DEMAG under the contract between MMK and SMS-DEMAG signed in July 2007.