OREANDA-NEWS. On January 21, 2009 Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, announced that the Chelyabinsk Region Governor, Pyotr Sumin, visited Mechel’s Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant OAO (CMP) subsidiary, reported the press-centre of Mechel.

The visit by Governor Sumin to the CMP was his first trip in a program to assess anti-recessionary measures taken by the cities and industrial enterprises in the region. During the visit the anti-recessionary program being implemented at CMP was discussed.

CMP’s construction sites and investment facilities were toured during the visit, including the continuous casting machine (concaster) No. 5 at the facility’s Oxygen-Converter Shop, which is phase one of the rail and structural steel mill construction project, and reconstruction sites at Arc-Furnace Melting Shop (AFMS) No. 6. In line with phase two of CMP’s long-term production development program, upgrading the slab concaster and constructing the ladle-furnace and vacuum vessel is being implemented at the AFMS. The facilities that are being upgraded and constructed will ensure the shop’s high productivity and economic efficiency of the production process in the future and improve its product quality.

The Governor did not only visited Concaster No. 5 and AFMS construction projects , but also held the working meeting on matters related to of the plant’s anti-recessionary measures which was participated by the Chelyabinsk Region Deputy Governor, Yury Klepov, Minister of Industry and Natural Resources of the Chelyabinsk Region, Evgeny Teftelev, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly, Vladimir Myakush, Head of the Chelyabinsk City District, Mikhail Yurevich, Chairman of the Chelyabinsk City Duma, Sergey Komyakov, and the Head of the Metallurgical District, Sergey Antipov. Mechel OAO was represented at the meeting by Mechel Management OOO Chief Executive Officer, Andrey Deineko, Senior Vice President for Government Relations, Victor Trigubko, Vice President for Legal Affairs, Evgeny Mikhel, and the management of CMP.

CMP’s Managing Director, Sergey Malyshev, spoke at the meeting on the plant and the anti-recessionary measures being implemented, which include the development of a flexible production program, reduction of costs across all lines of the plant’s operations, and maintaining the current number of highly qualified personnel of CMP.

The Managing Director also noted that the plant will maintain its social programs and continues the work to fulfill social guarantees under the collective labor agreement. Regarding the conditions of the financial and economic recession, the plant maintains sufficient production volumes enabling it to efficiently function and effect tax payments to the budgets of all levels. Mr. Sumin positively reviewed the work of the management of Mechel OAO, Mechel Management OOO, and CMP, having noted that maintaining social guarantees for the labor collective is extremely important.

The plant’s management confirmed the importance of continuing such high priority projects for the entire group as the universal rail and structural steel mill will produce rails up to 100 meters in length and high speed main lines all over Russia. Commissioning of this facility will provide newly created jobs with personal and training, which is estimated to be from 700 to 800 employees. The realization of this project will also ensure CMP's high tax payments to the budgets of the Chelyabinsk Region and the City of Chelyabinsk.

Governor Sumin confirmed the significance of implementing this project not only for the Region’s economy but also for the whole country, as he stated, “This is a unique mill. Everyone needs it, including Russia, as it will make it possible to manufacture import-substituting advanced products.” The Governor thanked the company for its “engagement in the new investment projects during this difficult time.”