According to an official release by the Serbian government, three bids have been received so far for the acquisition of the former US Steel-owned, Smederevo-based steel mill. On April 18, Serbia's Ministry of Finance issued a public call for a strategic partner for the Smederevo steel mill, with the deadline for bids to expire on May 4.
The three bidders are United Pilsen S.A. from Luxembourg, Donetsksteel Group from Ukraine and Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (OMMC) from Russia.
United Pilsen is a part of the United Group which owns Pilsen Steel in the Czech Republic, which is one of the largest metallurgical and engineering companies in eastern Europe, and manufactures special steel products used in shipbuilding, energy and automotive industries, and other sectors. The company was created by a merger of two factories that had earlier operated within the car manufacturer Skoda.
The Donetsksteel Group owns a high calorie coal mine, two coke factories and two steel mills. The company is one of the biggest coke producers in Europe, and manufactures various types of steel of both low and high quality.
Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company is one of the largest companies in Russia, encompassing over 50 companies operating in Russia, while its annual revenue amounts to several billions of US dollars. The company's main activities are within the mining and metallurgical sector and the car industry.