The cutting ditch of agglomachine 2 was replaced at the agglomeration shop of West-Siberian Metallurgical Industrial Complex (part of Evraz Group). The cutting ditch is used to water wash the furnace charge and agglomerate. Novokuznetskremstroy Ltd., the company’s general contractor, had been working non-stop for eight days to replace an 80-meter section of the pipe with the 426-millimeter diameter. The ditch was actually in dire need of replacement since it was badly worn out by the agglomerate rubbing against it. In fact, a new cutting ditch is needed every eighteen to twenty-four months.

While the replacement was in progress, the company was able to keep up with its agglomerate production using its agglomachines 1 and 3.