Mechel, Marubeni sign Bridgestone supply deal

Russian mining and metals company Mechel OAO has announced the signing of five-year contracts for supplies of extra-size Bridgestone tyres with Japan's Marubeni Corporation. These agreements were signed by several Mechel group enterprises – Yakutugol Holding Company OAO, Southern Kuzbass Coal Company OAO and Korshunov Mining Plant OAO –on the sidelines of the official visit of the Russian Federation's First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov to Japan. The deals cover the supply of Bridgestone off-road tyres for heavy dump trucks. The contracts cover the delivery of more than 5,000 tyres.

Marubeni Corporation is one of Japan’s largest companies and an authorised export dealer of Bridgestone Corporation’s products. “These long-term contracts will help our enterprises’ stable operations and improve the efficiency of production in Mechel’s mining division, including implementation of our key project, development of Elga Coal Complex,” commented Mechel CEO Evgeny Mikhel. “Signing these contracts on the sidelines of a session of the Russia-Japan Inter-Government Commission on Trade and Economic Issues is a major step for the company in further developing bilateral ties with leading Japanese industrial producers, which is aimed at consolidating Mechel’s leading positions on the world market of metallurgical coals.”

Mechel’s business includes four segments: mining, steel, ferroalloy and power. Mechel unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, nickel, ferrochrome, ferrosilicon, steel, rolled products, hardware, heat and electric power.