Izvestia: “Zyuzin gets better without a doctor”
During his visit to Chelyabinsk, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praised the efforts of Mechel head Igor Zyuzin, a man to whom he once promised to "send a doctor" to straighten out what ailed him. This time, Putin only pressed ceremonial buttons to start up a new steel line. But he admitted he was stunned when he saw electric pipe welding line Vysota 239, Russia's first "white metallurgy" facility, at the Chelyabinsk Pipe Rolling Plant.
The project involves extensive use of innovative high-tech machinery and processes for manufacturing reliable high-quality pipes.
"I seem to be in some sort of theatre production or Disneyland," he said looking at what the designers did. The new welding line was painted in a variety of colours with psychedelic rings and zigzags. Overall, it looks more like an object of art than a metallurgical shop. Even the workers were dressed not in the usual drab grey, but in white coats and overalls.
"The atmosphere is inspiring. When you see production on such a huge scale, you have no doubt that this is a real high-tech production facility that meets the highest international standards and employs top-notch personnel. It's really impressive," Putin said.
He invited one of the plant's youngest workers, Yevgeny Gaas, who had suggested the line's name, Vysota 239, to press the start button. The black button immediately turned milky white, symbolising transition from black to white, or environmentally friendly metallurgy.
Afterward, when talking with plant workers, the prime minister said new deposits would be discovered to provide them with raw material and also hinted that current transfer pricing and delays in supplies from oil companies were inadmissible. Most producers try to sell their products in Russia at prices that are 15% to 20% higher than on the world market.
He said everyone should emulate Mechel, where he had promised to "send a doctor" two years ago.
"Why would Mechel not do a good job? I remember the verbal attacks on Mechel, and I can only regret that this caused the company's capitalisation to fall by 20%, if I am not mistaken. Anyway, Mr Zyuzin (Mechel CEO Igor Zyuzin), I want to thank you for everything you did and your continued respect for domestic consumers and Russian law," Putin said.
By Anastasia Savinykh
