Severstal-SMC-Vsevolozhsk, a joint venture between Mitsui and OAO Severstal, commenced production in December 2013 with its first 140 tonnes of blank metal parts.
There are currently two production lines operating at the plant as part of a trial, producing cut-to-length rolled steel from feed metal between 0.5mm and 3.2mm thick and up to 1900 mm in width. According to Severstal, the company’s in line die (800 tonnes) and stamp can produce a variety of steel parts including simple and contoured blanks.
As part of the production trial, the company also has a slitting line, which produces strip from hot-rolled, hot-rolled pickled and galvanised steel from feed metal with minimum thickness — 0.3 to 4.5mm – and a maximum width of1850mm.
Initially, the company will be producing cold rolled steel products for the home appliances sector.
Two more lines will be commissioned this year (2014) to produce welded blanks and cut-to-length line (mini-CTL) from feed metal 0.4mm to 2.3mm thick. Initial trial runs are scheduled for Q1 2014 with SMC-Vsevolozhsk’s production expected to reach approximately 150kt at full capacity.
“Approximately 60% of SMC-Vsevolozhsk products will be delivered to automakers, with the remainder sold to construction and machine building companies and the home appliances sector," said Dmitry Goroshkov, marketing and sales director of Severstal’s Russian Steel Division.