"My work is a continuous process of development," said coke-chemical specialist Maksym Mamchur in 2022, when he received the company’s highest individual award – Metinvest Gold Star – on the occasion of Ukraine’s Metallurgist and Miner’s Day.
This honour recognised his devoted work at the legendary Azovstal plant. However, due to the full-scale invasion, Maksym was forced to leave his native Mariupol. A new chapter in his professional career began at Kamet Steel, to which nearly four years of his life have already been devoted. It is here, within this new team, that his innovative abilities and finest personal qualities have been revealed with renewed strength.
Maksym worked for 12 years in the coke-chemical department at Azovstal, where he gained extensive experience, which he consistently applied to the greatest benefit of production and the workforce. In particular, the coke oven shop implemented a whole series of measures with a significant economic effect, which made it possible to improve the quality of the coal charge, reduce its consumption in the coking process, and enhance the quality characteristics of coal tar.
With the outbreak of the war, Maksym’s responsibilities were focused on the mothballing of the enterprise’s coke-chemical department. It was necessary to ensure the provision of the required materials, to prepare a step-by-step plan for organising the shutdown of the coke oven batteries, and to train personnel in the safe shutdown of gas pipelines and the sealing of coking chambers. The equipment was mothballed in accordance with the plan, even as direct shelling was ongoing…
In addition, support was provided to the civilian population of Mariupol, who were enduring enemy shelling. Maksym delivered drinking water and food supplies to residents of the Left Bank district. And when the bombardment of the city intensified, he organised the evacuation of civilians to Zaporizhzhia, assembling a convoy of 50 vehicles. Despite the fact that contact with many of those people was lost over time, Maksym sincerely hopes that all of them have managed to rebuild their lives.
Maksym Mamchur carried this experience of resilience and responsibility for others into his current professional activities. Today, he serves as a Lead Engineer for Technical Supervision at the coke oven shop of Kamet Steel, where he focuses his efforts on occupational health and safety matters. His work on implementing the ‘Safe Workspace’ system is based on the in-depth knowledge of technologies and equipment he acquired at Azovstal. His expertise, forged over many years, now enables him to create the safest possible working conditions for his colleagues at every workplace.
In 2025, in view of wartime security risks, Maksym Mamchur initiated the introduction at Kamet Steel of an automated access control system for the coke oven shelter, implemented there for the first time. This solution made it possible to completely eliminate the human factor: a specialised GSM/WEB controller, integrated with the alert system, ensures the automatic release of the shelter’s electromagnetic locks immediately upon the activation of an air raid alarm. A key feature of the project was its cost-efficiency – the installation and configuration of the equipment were carried out in-house by specialists from the automation systems department of the coke-chemical production, without engaging external contractors.
Another important area of Maksym’s work, implemented at the request of the shop management, was the introduction of risk-based measures on conveyor equipment. In particular, protective guarding was installed on belt conveyors in the sorting area, thereby minimising risks to personnel. In this regard, Maksym adheres to the principle of balance: ensuring the highest possible level of safety for colleagues while simultaneously optimising the enterprise’s costs This outcome is achieved by leveraging internal resources – all installation work is carried out by the shop team, and the most optimal and efficient solutions are selected for the implementation of technical tasks.
Ivan FOMYCHOV, Head of the Coke Shop:
“Maksym is a results-driven individual: reliable, persistent, and consistently positive in his outlook. He is one of those specialists with whom one is eager to embark on complex and important projects, as he does not regard any task as routine. As soon as a challenge arises, he is already proposing several optimal solutions. He is a competent and promising young engineer who never ceases to develop and is always ready to lend his colleagues a helping hand."
Over the years, the young Mariupol native has not only become an integral part of the Kamet Steel team, but has also developed a genuine affection for the nature of Dnipro region. Outside of work, his main passion is active leisure. This might include ‘mushroom hunting’ in the forests on the left bank of Kamianske or short car trips in search of new experiences. He has already discovered the Blue Lakes and the famous ‘Dnipro Maldives’. Such moments spent alone with nature give Maksym the opportunity to recharge, reflect on his plans, and gain the strength for new professional steps.
"All my working life has been associated with Metinvest. This is where I began my career and gained my experience, and it is with the company’s support during the most challenging times that I continue my professional journey. Over the years, I have come to understand the most important thing: one must value what one has – one’s city, home, work, and team. Life brings different challenges, and loss is always difficult. However, it depends on us whether we can find our place in a new environment, apply our experience, and continue to make a meaningful contribution without halting our development,” adds Maksym MAMCHUR.
