Zlatoust Metallurgical Works (ZMZ), a subsidiary of the Russian steel producer ESTAR Holding, plans in 2010 to increase its finished steel product shipments to 390,000-400,000 mt compared to 145,000 mt in 2009, ZMZ's managing director Rashid Nugumanov said, adding that the plant's steel smelting volume in the current year will amount to 250,000 mt.
According to Mr. Nugumanov, ZMZ has resumed earlier valid contracts with its consumers, and, in Q3-Q4 this year, it plans to reach the pre-crisis production level. "Currently we produce at 80 percent of the pre-crisis level. In July 2009, the company shipped 5,000 mt of products, in April this year it shipped 33,000 mt, while before the crisis (until the fourth quarter of 2008) it shipped 37,000 mt," he said.
In addition, Mr. Nugumanov also said that ZMZ plans this year to increase its purchases of billets from Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, a subsidiary of Russian mining and steel producing group Mechel, from the current 22,000 mt to 25,000 mt.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, in January-April this year, ZMZ produced 80,000 mt of crude steel - up 75 percent year on year, and more than tripled its finished steel output on year-on-year basis, producing 110,000 mt.