Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) won in the All-Russian contest Russia’s Best Enterprises. Dynamics, Efficiency, Responsibility 2010 in the Environmentally Responsible Enterprise category. The contest was coordinated by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

‘MMK is involved in a large-scale investment program and is currently switching to new technological processes that provide for nature-friendly, conservationist facilities based on the most advanced technologies available at the moment. At the same time, we are doing away with the obsolete equipment as well,’ says the company’s press release.

The company reports the reconstruction has already allowed them to close down most of the obsolete production facilities, which resulted in technical upgrades and some radical changes in the company’s production structure as well as in greatly reduced environmental impacts. The gross emission figures decreased by 8,200 tons last year, even though the steel and metal goods outputs went up by 18.7% and 17%, respectively.

All in all, the company spent 2,239,600,000 RUR on conservational activity, including 1,3733bn RUR invested in the construction of new ‘green’ facilities and the reconstruction of the older ones.