Interpipe has begun producing a new product – big diameter seamless pipes according to GOST and EN standards. The big diameter pipes are developed at Interpipe NTRP, where the previous maximum mill range was limited to 377mm.
In October 2012, the experimental pipes of 426mm in diameter with 10mm wall thickness were produced for Belorussian consumers.
In January 2013, there was one more break-through – a new dimension size of 406.4mm in diameter with wall thickness of 50mm and 68mm made according to GOST standard for the 32XA steel grade. These were developed for Polish consumers. Finally, in the third quarter of 2013 Interpipe produced and delivered pipes of 406.4mm in diameter with 10mm to 70mm wall thickness, in accordance with European standards EN 10210-1,2 and EN 10297-1 in steel grades S355J2H/E355.
Interpipe regional sales director for Europe, Ivan Mazanka, said: "The big diameter seamless pipes are currently in high demand globally; however, the number of suppliers for these products is limited. For this reason manufacturing of pipes 406.4mm and 426mm in diameter, according to European standards is a very good opportunity for us to meet these needs by delivering high quality products in accordance with our European customers’ requirements.
Background
Interpipe is a vertically-integrated steel pipe and railway wheel company. It is among the ten largest producers of pipe products and the third largest producer of railway wheels in the world. The company’s products are supplied to more than 80 countries all over the world through a chain of commercial offices located in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Europe, the US and the Middle East.
In 2012, the company’s mills produced about 1.26 million tonnes of pipe and wheel products and recorded an annual revenue from sales of around $2bn.
Interpipe Steel is a key investment project for Interpipe that will provide the company’s steel and pipe production units with their own billets. The new plant’s capacity will be 1.32 million tonnes a year, which will make it the largest mill in Eastern Europe. Total investment in the project amounts to $700m.