The solemn ceremony of laying of the foundation stone for the plant’s future LDP shop took place at Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant, the spokesperson for ChTPZ Group (which the plant is a part of) told UrBC. The event was attended by Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Petr Sumin, Chelyabinsk Region’s representative in the Soviet of the Federation A. Komarov, Mayor of Chelyabinsk M. Yurevitch, ChTPZ Group’s BOD Chairman A. Fedorov, and Vice President of SMS MEER, ChTPZ‘s German partner.

The shop, meant for production of large diameter pipes (with the diameter of 508 mm to 1,420 mm) with both inner and outer coating will be launched in 2009 and is expected to produce 600,000 tons of goods annually. This means Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant will be able to take part in large-scale pipeline projects implemented in Russia. Besides, the whole process will be made as high-tech and environmentally harmless as possible, meeting both Russian and international conservational standards. The project requires $600 worth of investments altogether.

ChTPZ Group and SMS MEER signed a contract for the delivery of the needed machinery in 2007. Metal stuffs will be supplied by Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works.

According to Mr. Fedorov, the construction of the new shop is one of ChTPZ’s largest projects in the last twenty years.

'This is going to become Russia’s most advanced tube and pipe production facility based on unique environmentally friendly technologies that ensure the products’ great quality,’ he said.