OREANDA-NEWS. November 26, 2007.  Elektrostal Rossii (Estar) is studying the possibility of constructing a steelworks in western Siberia, its general director Vladimir Lobko said at the Metal-Expo International Industrial Exhibition in Moscow this week.

The Russian steelmaking and scrap processing group is considering building a plant to produce slab or billet. The slab would feed Estar’s Kuzmin Novosibirsk Steel Plant and the billet would feed its Gurievsk Steel Plant. Both of these existing plants are located in western Siberia.

It is too early to say whether the potential steelworks will be based on scrap metal or iron ore, Estar’s spokeswoman tells Steel Business Briefing. At the moment all options are being considered, she adds.

Earlier this month, Kuzmin Novosibirsk Steel Plant took delivery of equipment for a new pipe electric welding mill. Supplied by Italian firm Oto Mills, the mill will produce 15-32mm diameter water and gas pipe, as previously reported by SBB.

The new mill will have a capacity of 60,000-70,000 tonnes/year and will almost double Kuzmin’s overall water and gas pipe production capacity. At present, the foundations of the mill are being constructed.