Despite the challenges caused by the full-scale war, the enterprise in Zaporizhzhia works steadily, supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians on the way to victory.

Zaporozhogneupor of Metinvest Group is the largest manufacturer in Ukraine of a wide range of moulded refractory products of aluminosilicate and magnesia groups, and unmoulded refractory aggregates, powders, masses, concretes and mixtures of various purposes.

In Ukraine, the company's refractory products are indispensable at the production sites of Zaporizhstal, Kamet Steel, Zaporizh Coke Plant, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Dneprospetsstal, ZLMZ, Yuzhkoks and others. The plant's products are also in demand among machine builders, such as Dnipropetrovsk Switch Plant, Motor Sich, Syuzenergomash. Also, refractory products of Zaporozhogneupor are supplied to enterprises of the energy, food and construction industries.

Despite the destruction of traditional export routes and logistics caused by the war, Zaporozhogneupor has partially resumed exporting products abroad. This year, the company's products are delivered to Moldova, Bulgaria and Estonia.

In recent years, Zaporozhogneupor has significantly strengthened its service function – in addition to Zaporizhzhia, the company has its branches in Kamianske and Kryvyi Rih. Experienced and qualified specialists provide high-quality repair work on steel- and cokemaking equipment of Ukrainian mining and steelmaking sector.

Quality that is valued

For 91 years of operation, Zaporozhogneupor has produced more than 30 mln t of products. The plant's products are valued for their quality and flexibility of product mix – and these are more than 1200 main grades of refractories, unmoulded materials, concrete mixtures and masses. This year alone, five new types of products have already been developed, and six more positions are in the process of being developed.

Thanks to successful measures aimed at improving products, the defective rate at the plant for the first 5 months of 2024 has been reduced to a record level of 1.45%. A worthful result became possible due to the high level of involvement of employees in the improvement of the technological process, the coordinated work of production and repair functions, and the strengthening of personnel competence. The level of products from the first presentation is currently 98.53% – and the refractory specialists do not stop there!

An indomitable team

The strength that Zaporozhogneupor is proud of is inherent not only in refractories, but also in the people who produce them. The company employs a multi-age team. Every fifth employee is a young person under the age of 35. Contrary to stereotypes, the refractory industry has no gender, here every specialist can realize themselves on equal terms. More than 20% of Zaporozhogneupor employees are women.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, 187 employees have joined the Ukrainian army. 17 employees released from military service due to special circumstances have returned from the front to civilian life and have already started working. For war veterans, the company has a programme for psychological adaptation and medical rehabilitation.

For more than two years of war, the company suffered irreparable losses – 18 defenders of Ukraine from Zaporozhogneupor were killed at the front. The company supports the families of each of the deceased employees and honours their feat.

The best were awarded

Given the difficult security situation in Zaporizhzhia, the refractory plant once again abandoned magnificent celebrations of the anniversary and organized a festive event in safe conditions. For a significant contribution to improving the efficiency of production of the enterprise, good production and financial indicators and on the occasion of the anniversary of Zaporozhogneupor, the team of the warehouse for fireclay finished products of the aluminosilicate shop under the leadership of Denys Bedryk, the team of the mechanical function of the unmoulded refractory shop under the leadership of Oleksandr Ulko and the team of the production preparation and heat treatment section of the mechanical and repair shop under the leadership of Andriy Dyachenko were awarded.

For conscientious work and significant personal contribution to the development of production, the awards of the enterprise and the trade union were given to Taisa Semeniuk, Igor Kulakov, Dmytro Hrytsaienko, Oleksandr Sidorenko, Viktor Rybalko, Liudmyla Dubovyk, Tetiana Okhrimenko, Hanna Zaitseva, Maria Kovaliova, Nadiia Boiko, Nataliia Lomaka and Pavlo Golubenko.

"Zaporozhogneupor is a team of reliable professionals, caring people, whose resilience and endurance have been tested by time and the long glorious history of the enterprise. No matter what challenges we face, we continue to work. Because we know that a strong economic rear is Ukraine's support on the way to Victory. I wish all of us, dear colleagues, achievements and success in our work. I wish you good health, well-being, family comfort, peace and Victory in Ukrain," Artur Ivanchenko, General Director of Zaporozhogneupor, congratulated the team.