Our NLMK Indiana team was selected as the recipient of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) Reliability Achievement Award, at the Gold level. This recognition is awarded to iron and steel-producing companies for “reliability improvements and achievements that can be demonstrated to be unique or first in the industry.”

Commenting on the award, Steve Ryan, Manager Process Technology, said, “This was a massive undertaking that involved many disciplines, including Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Hydraulic, Automation, and Process experts. To coordinate a project this vast and far-reaching across such a diverse group of stakeholders, engineers, and contractors while meeting expectations for safety, schedule, and budget shows the hard work, dedication, and professionalism among all the involved parties. That’s what this award recognizes.”

The recognition comes after one of the Melt Shop’s most significant achievements—the successful completion of its largest Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) upgrade since the plant was installed in 1995. After more than five years of design, engineering, and planning, the Melt Shop executed a full replacement of the Tilt Platform, along with a redesigned roof, modernized equipment, and an entirely new hydraulic system. It was an unprecedented 42-day outage.

The scale of the project required enormous coordination, safety planning, and precision. “The biggest risk was the multilevel work,” said Ehren Plew, General Manager of Engineering and Maintenance Technology. “Planning for the inefficiencies of stacked work was a very important part of keeping everyone safe.” Thanks to clear communication and a culture of active care, the outage was completed without any injuries. Plew concluded, “Everyone who partners with us on an upgrade knows we’re going to execute a safety plan that has the details thought through.”

Terry Black, General Manager of the Melt Shop, emphasized that while the new equipment is impressive, the unseen collaboration mattered just as much: “Anyone can walk out on the floor and see all the new equipment, but the safety and the communication that happened out there during the outage were truly remarkable. It’s what made this outage successful.”

Mid Aman, Director of Indiana Operations, summed it up this way. “This recognition is more than just a milestone. It reflects the teamwork, innovation, and commitment that define our culture. The successful completion of the EAF upgrade, combined with winning the AIST Reliability Achievement Gold Award, shows what is possible when our people work together with purpose. It’s not only an investment in equipment, but in our people, our safety culture, and the future of steelmaking at our facility.”

About NLMK Group

NLMK Group is a vertically integrated steelmaking company, the largest in Russia and one of the most efficient steel producers in the world.

NLMK operates production facilities in Russia, Europe and the United States. The Company’s steel production capacity exceeds 14.3 million tonnes per year.

For more information on NLMK Group, please visit our website.

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