Severstal Passes Alliance Supplier Evaluation Standard Auto Steel Audit

Russian steel giant Severstal, a Metal-Expo regular exhibitor, has received rank B based on the ASES assessment as per RENAULT-Nissan-Mitsubishi and AVTOVAZ Alliance Supplier Assessment Standards. Rank B allows the company to be a recommended supplier on the part of the quality service for participation in new projects of the alliance plants. For three days, the auditor-representative of the Alliance evaluated the production chain at the Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant, as well as processes and individual elements of the existing quality management system: analysis of quality problems for current products, project management and changes, current results and applied practices at the metallurgical plant.

The audit area included the CherMK flat-rolled products divisions (cold-rolled shops), the technical development and quality department, the customer technical support service of the Severstal Russian Steel division, the raw materials sales and procurement, investment, personnel directorate and the Business Development Center Severstal systems.

The initial audit revealed some comments and areas for improvement. According to the Alliance procedure, Severstal prepared and agreed with the auditor a revision plan. Within six months, employees of CherMK flat-rolled products and functional directorates, with the support of specialists in working with suppliers of AVTOVAZ JSC, implemented developmental activities. For example, we improved the 8D system at CherMK in terms of the rules for prioritizing problems, defining responsible and deadlines for closing steps.

As a result of the audit, Severstal in December raised its rank to B, which means meeting all the requirements of the Alliance for its suppliers.