Russia-based Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC) has announced that its subsidiary Serov Steel Works has restarted in early June 2009 the production of vacuum degassed steel, as it has received orders for calibrated and hot rolled steel products. In addition, the mill has resumed the production of ball-bearing steel, which according to technical requirements have to be vacuum treated.
Accordingly, by the end of July Serov Steel Works plans to deliver its first batch of vacuum degassed ball-bearing steel products, including round billet, long steel products and calibrated steel.
The volume of orders has not been disclosed; however, the company says that the monthly volume of steel vacuum degassing depends on the market needs. "Currently the demand is not high, as the main consumers of this product, the machine-building and car industries, have decreased their production plans," reads the company's release.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, in October 2008 Serov Steel Works completed the second stage of its reconstruction, which included the installation of a new vacuum degasser with an annual capacity of 375,000 mt, supplied by the Italian plantmaker Danieli.
Serov Steel Works is an integrated iron and steel works which has its own raw material base and manufactures more than 200 grades of high quality steel products.