OREANDA-NEWS. ОАО Severstal, one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies, got approval from Ford Sollers Holding to start the serial deliveries of coated steel by two global specifications of Ford Motor Company.

The approved grades of rolled metal are used for producing segments of the Ford Focus motor vehicle (external lateral body panel and internal hood panel) at Gestamp-Severstal-Vsevolozhsk plant.

 The company is currently preparing to launch a number of other grades for production of various body segments for the Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo models.

“The start of serial deliveries for Ford Sollers has certainly added much to Severstal’s position among Russia's steelmakers as the leading supplier for foreign automotive companies with local production facilities in Russia,” — commented Alexander Grubman, Chief Executive Officer, Severstal Russian Steel Division.

As part of an overall production turnaround, from automotive rolled steel to a pressed automotive segment in 2013, it is planned to complete the construction of the service center in Vsevolozhsk, which is Severstal's joint project with Japan's Mitsui. Severstal-SMC-Vsevolozhsk will provide a comprehensive range of services for longitudinal and lateral rolled metal cutting, as well as blanking for subsequent press forming.

The SMC will be located in close vicinity to the Gestamp-Severstal-Vsevolozhsk plant in order to cut down the service costs and ensure timely delivery of blanks to this stamping facility.

There are such Russian based producers of foreign automotive companies as Renault-Nissan, HYUNDAI-KIA, and Volkswagen among Severstal’s clients.