Russian-based Taganrog iron & steel (Tagmet), under TMK`s pipe metallurgical company, produced 5mn mt of pipes by the end of May—a breakthrough in volume at its continuous premium quality finishing (PQF) seamless pipe mill.
TMK is a major manufacturer of steel pipes in Southern Russia, producing about 42pc of tubes in the country, although it has the capability to produce about 45pc of all tubes in the country.
Attaining this line pipe volume, which is considered a milestone in the oil industry, was accomplished and formed by continuously casting billets supplied by a steel mill provided by SMS group.
Tagamet’s continuous PQF plant was built in 2008 and was Russia’s first pipe rolling mill that used modern PQF technology for producing seamless steel pipes for the oil and gas industry.
Sergey Bilan, managing director of Tagmet credited plant employees for managing technical service well and maintaining equipment to ensure that production levels remained steady and reliable.
Tagmet has become a leading pipe industry company in Russia, as well as globally. The mill employs about 6,000 workers and produces all varieties of seamless steel pipes, including high strength, with distinct material properties to meet market demand.
Tagmet and SMS group have collaborated to advance the technological development of the PQF seamless pipe mill. Among further projects, TMK placed a recent order with SMS group to provide a recently developed mandrel thrust block for its cone-type piercing plant, which is currently being built in Germany.
SMS group comprises a set of companies with about 14,000 employees that operate in global plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry.