OREANDA-NEWS. Azovstal (AZST) announced its plans to construct a new coil roll-mill with a capacity of 3.6 mln tonnes per year and the potential to expand to 5.6 mln tonnes per year. The project costs about USD 1.0 bn and supports the company's intention to strengthen its position on the hot-rolled coils market.

According to analysts of Millennium Capital, a financial services provider, it should be expected for AZST to produce 6.3 mln tonnes of crude steel and 5.6 mln tonnes of rolled stock over 2007. Semifinished products currently dominate the steelworks' output, so the construction of a new roll-mill indicates company's plans to switch to finished products with higher value added.