December 7 - December 13

Vladimir Putin paid a one-day visit to the Sverdlovsk Region. He hold a meeting regarding the defense complex, and visit a railroad construction facility in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. VSMPO-Avisma succeeded in negotiations with the Ural Customs Administration, so a new customs office will soon open right the Corporation's premises.

NLMK opened new company in Ekaterinburg

Novolipetsk Steel JSC (NLMK) has registered a new affiliate company NLMK-Sort in Ekaterinburg on December 4th, 2009. 100% of shares of NLMK-Sort belong to Novolipetsk Steel.

Olga Naumova has been appointed CEO of the new company. At the moment she manages the Bar Iron and Hard Components branch at NLMK. Affiliate company has been established to raise effectiveness of bar iron products management of NLMK Group.

Putin visited Sverdlovsk Region

Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to the Sverdlovsk Region last week. On December 8 he was invited to visit one of the largest defense industry enterprises of the country, UralVagonZavod (The Nizhny Tagil Iron and Steel Plant). Administration of the plant welcomed the Prime Minister and organized a demonstration of the newest Russian tank T-90A at the proving ground Staratel near Nizhny Tagil.

After the show Vladimir Putin inspected the UralVagonZavod production facility, held a meeting covering prospective development of the defense complex and promised to allot 10 billion rubles of subsidies to UVZ.

Prime Minister visited Verkhnaya Pyshma city where Putin called on the Ural Railway Machine-Building Plant and was presented with an engine that got the name United Russia political party.

Road conditions

Governor of Sverdlovsk Region Alexander Misharin fired deputy director of the Road Management Administration, who is in charge of all road works in the region. The reason for dismissal was provided by the bad condition of regional roads.

On the way to Nizhny Tagil governor of the region noticed how badly and poorly  the roads were maintained, and promised to fire the person who was in charge of that sphere of work.

New Customs Office

Ural Customs Administration reviewed a request of the Corporation VSMPO-Avisma and decided to open a subdivision of Nizhny Tagil Customs Office in Verkhnaya Salda, the Corporation's headquarters. When the subdivision is open, the procedure of drawing export-import papers will be much less complicated. It is planned to open the Customs Office on December 31, 2009.