MMK Reaches Production Milestone of 5 Million Tonnes of Coated Steel
Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has reached the mark of 5 million tonnes of polymer-coated steel products manufactured since July 2004, when the Company put its first production unit with a capacity of 200 thousand tonnes per year into operation. In July 2009, MMK launched a second polymer coating line with a similar capacity of 200 thousand tonnes of products per year.
Polymer coating units apply various paint coatings to the surface of cold-rolled sheet or galvanised steel, as well as layers of plastisol, polyvinylidene fluoride and polyester. The resulting products are characterised by high corrosion resistance, quality consumer characteristics and a unique appearance. The main consumer of coated sheet metal is the construction industry, with significant volumes also used in the production of household appliances. In 2022, MMK produced about 247,000 tonnes of coated steel, of which 217,000 tonnes were delivered to the Russian domestic market.
MMK's product strategy is aimed at developing and increasing its sales of premium products. These include rolled products with premium-segment polymer coating, such as double-sided coating or coating with a crumpled surface texture that can be medium or coarse. To date, the Company has mastered the production of eight colour shades of coated steel (RAL 8017, 7024, RR32, RAL 3005, 6005, 6020, 8019, 9005) and plans to expand its colour palette further. Sales of premium products amounted to about 25 thousand tonnes in 2022.
MMK Group is one of the largest domestic producers of pre-painted rolled products, supplying Russian consumers from two production sites: the main site in Magnitogorsk and the site of MMK-Lysvensky Metallurgical Plant (MMK-LMZ, part of MMK Group) in the Perm region. MMK-LMZ is actively developing the production of premium rolled products – in particular, SteelArt branded rolled products with a decorative coating.
MMK took first place among producers of galvanised and painted metal in the ranking of the best Russian producers and suppliers of steel products in the second half of 2022, published by the industry magazine Metal Supply and Sales.