OREANDA-NEWS. April 27, 2011. OJSC ChelPipe and OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) are creating their joint rolling stock to ensure timely deliveries of steel plate from MMK’s Mill 5000 to ChelPipe’s Vysota 239 production unit. Implementation of this project has become part of strategic cooperation between the two companies. The decision to launch this initiative was made in 2007 when Mill 5000 and Vysota 239 were still under construction. ChelPipe and MMK jointly acquired forty-four 12-meter long strip carriers (equipped with mobile loading ramps) from the Ukrainian Company Dneprovagonmash.

In October 2010, ChelPipe contracted the Transmash Company to supply custom-made 18-meter strip carriers. The new design of the railway cars meets all the requirements of ChelPipe and MMK and allows transportation of 12- and 18-meter long steel plates. The first cars of this rolling stock were delivered to MMK and ChelPipe this year. At the moment ChelPipe operates forty-four 12-meter and forty-six 18-meter strip carriers of its own. MMK has forty 18-meter strip carriers in operation.

Through the end of 2011, Transmash will deliver 229 18-meter platforms to ChelPipe. The number of railway strip carriers owned by MMK will increase to 44 by the end of the year. Availability of the shared strip carrier fleet will make ChelPipe and MMK independent from shipping companies in terms of broad plate transportation and will save both companies over 20% in transportation costs.