OREANDA-NEWS. The Cherepovets Steel Mill (CherMK), one of the world’s largest integrated steel mills and part of the Russian Steel division of OAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies, completed capital maintenance of its No. 2 converter. This project with estimated total investment of RUB 650 million included replacement of housing unit of the converter. It is also the first of three stages of a major ecological project on CherMK.

Sergey Toropov, CEO of Severstal’s Russian Steel Division, commented: “We initially allocated 60 days to complete this significant maintenance work which included replacing the converter’s housing and installing an exhaust hood to trap fugitive emissions from the unit. We have completed the maintenance 8 days ahead of schedule enabling us to produce an additional 50 million tonnes of steel”.

Mr Toropov also noted that major repair operations at the plant are an important investment for the Company and replacement of the housing will ensure steady performance from the convertor for the next 12 years.

This exhaust hood will reduce fugitive emissions from the converter plant by a third in 2013 and its successful installation marks completion of the first stage of a major project to construct fugitive emission catchers on all of CherMK’s three converters.

The maintenance work was carried out by business units of Severstal Russian Steel, including OAO Domnaremont, OOO Severstal Promservice and OOO Severstal Project. Installation of the catcher was overseen by Siemens VAI Metals Technologies, a supplier of major process equipment.