OREANDA-NEWS. NLMK Group (LSE: NLMK), the largest steel producer in Russia and one of the most efficient steel companies in the world, received a gold medal at Metal-Expo’2015, the 21st international industry awards for creating a breakthrough technology for the production of dynamo steel used in power engineering. The Company also received a silver medal for its environmental project at the Lipetsk site.

The gold medal was awarded for NLMK’s efforts in producing three new grades of electrical isotropic (dynamo) steel that were previously unavailable on the domestic market in Russia and had to be imported by energy and electric equipment manufacturers. In response to growing demand from key customers, experts from NLMK’s Engineering Center developed and launched production of a series of new grades of electrical steel using new technologies and with technical characteristics that are on par with best global alternatives.

The use of this steel in generators and turbines at hydro- and heat- power plants boosts energy generation by 15%. When used in industrial and household appliances, their efficiency is increased by 10%.

This innovative Russian electrical steel product is currently supplied to the domestic market, as well as to international consumers including ABB of Sweden, Helvar of Finland, LCI of France and Siemens of Germany. NLMK Group produces dynamo steel at its Lipetsk site. In the first 9 months of 2015, NLMK produced 192,000 tonnes of dynamo steel, an increase of 2% year-on-year. NLMK accounts for approximately 60% of the Russian dynamo steel market.

NLMK Group received a silver medal for the successful implementation of its environmentally friendly waterless BG slag cooling technology at the Lipetsk site that resulted in an 8-fold reduction in emission of hydrogen sulfide.

Sergey Filatov, Novolipetsk Managing Director, said:

“We are pleased that NLMK was once again recognised in this prestigious international competition. The gold and silver medals were awarded to our experts for the creation and implementation of unique technologies in rolling operations and waste management. This confirms once again that we are on the right path with our Strategy 2017 aimed at achieving best global practices in efficiency across all stages of steel production.”

In 2014 NLMK Group was a winner at the 20th international Metal-Expo’2015 industry awards. The gold medal was awarded for a unique environmental project – a biochemical waste water treatment facility at coke and chemical operations at the Lipetsk production site.

About Metal-Expo

Metal-Expo is endorsed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Government of Moscow, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the Russian Union of Metal and Steel Suppliers, Russian Steel, the International Union of Metallurgical Equipment Producers, the Steel Construction Development Association, the Builders Association of Russia, the Russian Builders’ Union, the Russian Engineering Union, the Foundation for Development of Tube Industry and the Prommetiz Association, among others. In 2015, the exhibition brought together more than 560 companies from 32 world countries. Some 25-30,000 end-users of ferrous and non-ferrous products from the construction industry, heavy-engineering, power and engineering complex, transportation & logistics, steel trading etc. attend the show.

About NLMK Group

NLMK Group is the largest steelmaker in Russia and one of the most efficient in the world. NLMK’s metal products are used in various industries, from construction and engineering to the manufacture of power-generating equipment and offshore wind turbines.

NLMK's production assets are located in Russia, Europe, and the United States. The Company’s liquid steel production capacity is over 17 million tonnes per year, of which about 16 million tonnes are produced in Russia.

NLMK has the most competitive cash cost among global manufacturers; and one of the highest profitability levels in the sector. The company generated $4.4 billion in revenue; $1.1 billion in EBITDA; and a net profit of $491 million in H1 2015. Net Debt/EBITDA is 0.47. The company has a BBB- credit rating.

NLMK’s ordinary shares are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: NLMK), and its global depositary shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: NLMK:LI).

About Novolipetsk (NLMK’s main production site in Lipetsk)

Novolipetsk is the main production site of NLMK Group, Russia’s leading manufacturer of steel and high value added rolled products, and one of the most efficient steelmaking companies in the world. Novolipetsk is the nucleus of NLMK Group’s single production chain, with assets in Russia, the EU and the USA. The steel production volume of the Lipetsk site is approximately 18% of all steel produced in Russia, and approximately 80% of all steel products produced by NLMK Group.

Novolipetsk’s high-quality steel products are used in various strategically important industries, from construction and engineering to the manufacture of power-generating equipment and large-diameter pipes. Novolipetsk produced 12.56 million tonnes in 2014. This represents an all-time high over the 80 years of NLMK’s history. This record performance was supported by productivity improvements throughout the value chain of the site. With capacities running at 100%, production grew by 1.3% compared to 2013.