OREANDA-NEWS. On July 26, 2007 Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has signed a contract with Siemens VAI to supply two new ladle furnaces (LF) for BOF production at the company's main site in Lipetsk. The contract is valued at around EUR23 million, reported the press-centre of NLMK.

Two new ladle furnaces, with 160 tonnes capacity each, will be commissioned at the beginning of 2009. This project will be introduced during the 2nd phase  of  NLMK’s Technical Upgrading Programme, which sets output expansion and product quality improvement as its main goals.

Then new LF facilities will enable NLMK to produce steel grades with ultra-low sulfur content. Furthermore, the new equipment will facilitate an increase in production and improve product quality. They are constructed in full compliance with stringent environmental requirements.

Once in operation, the new ladle furnaces will substantially expand NLMK’s product mix enabling the company to better supply the automotive industry, the electrical engineering industry and white goods producers. 

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At the moment NLMK is implementing the 2nd phase  of its large-scale Technical Upgrading Programme, aimed at increasing its annual output to 12,4 million tonnes and improving product quality. The capex of the 2nd phase of the Programme amounts to USD4 billion.