15 Mar 2007 13:44
OAO TMK15 March 2007 March 15, 2007 TMK Contract HAEUSLER AG to Supply Large Diameter Longitudinal Pipe Production Line OAO TMK ("TMK" or "the Company"), one of the world's largest oil and gas pipeproducers and the market leader of the Russian pipe industry, announced todaythat it has contracted HAEUSLER AG of Switzerland, one of the world's biggestproducers of welded pipe production equipment, to supply a new facility for theproduction of large diameter longitudinal welded pipes. The new facility will produce longitudinal welded pipes with diameters ofbetween 530mm and 1420mm, wall thickness of up to 42mm and strength groups of upto X100. These products are used in long distance oil and gas pipelinesincluding offshore pipelines, oil field pipelines, general purpose pipelines andin the construction of heating systems and nuclear power stations. The facility will utilise leading edge roll bending technology which iscurrently being used by the world's leading pipe producers as it ensures highproductivity and high quality production characteristics. The equipment isrenowned for its operational reliability. The facility will be installed at the Volzhsky Pipe Plant, a subsidiary of TMKsituated in the Volgograd region of Russia. Production of large diameterlongitudinal welded pipes is expected to start in Q3 2008. Following theinstallation, TMK's total annual production capacity for large diameter pipeswill exceed 1.3 million tonnes of pipes per year. Konstantin Semerikov, CEO of TMK stated: "The market for large diameter pipesin Russia and its neighboring countries is buoyant. The facility will allow TMKto sustain its position as the leader of the Russian pipe industry in this segment and to provide for Gazprom and Transneft's increasing demand for large diameter pipes for their long distance oil and gas pipelines in Russia and the CIS". OAO TMK Founded in 2001, TMK (LSE: TMKS) is the largest pipe producer in Russia and oneof the three global market leaders. TMK GDRs and common shares are traded on theLondon Stock Exchange and Russian Trading System. In 2006 the total volume of pipes shipped reached over 3 million tonnes. TMKsupplies pipes to companies in more than 60 countries. TMK production facilities are located in Russia and Romania: • Volzhsky Pipe Plant• Seversky Pipe Plant• Taganrog Metallurgical Works• Sinarsky Pipe Plant• Orsk Engineering Plant• SC TMK-ARTROM SA• SC TMK-Resita SA For further information please contact: TMK IR Department:Natalia DokuchaevaTel: +7 495 775 7660Email: ir@tmk-group.com Gavin Anderson & Company:Dick Millard/Michael TurnerTel: +44 207 554 1400Email: tmk@gavinanderson.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange