Ferrexpo continues to improve Ukraine's image in the markets of Europe, Asia and the Middle East
For any production unit, product quality is a crucial factor in ensuring competitiveness. The production of high-quality iron ore products for the world's main steel mills is a priority for the Group's factories. Over the last three years, the company has invested more than US$2.5 million in projects to develop quality control systems and new laboratory equipment.
International standards in Ferrexpo work
At Ferrexpo companies – Poltava, Yeristov and Bilaniv Minings – the main factor in improving the quality of finished products is working in accordance with international standards ISO 9001, which establishes the requirements for the company's quality operations, and ISO 17025, which establishes requirements for testing laboratories that certify products, namely high-quality iron ore concentrates and pellets with an iron content greater than 65%.
Ferrexpo regularly carries out internal and external audits to verify that the quality indicators of the process and finished products meet international standards. For example, in December 2023, Poltava Mining's test center, the Group's flagship facility, was successfully accredited to confirm the requirements of ISO 17025 for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Accreditation was carried out by representatives of the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine (NAAU).
One of Ferrexpo's practices is to continually initiate improvements. That is why the Ferrexpo quality team began to implement projects to improve the work of the company's divisions based on modern international regulatory documents. Our main objective is to minimize risks that could affect quality indicators, automate production and improve the working conditions of our employees. We can say that a significant part of these projects have already been fully implemented. I would like to share several of them.
Projects already implemented to improve quality
The first project is the installation of a complex for preparing samples and determining the chemical composition of the concentrate at crushing-processing plant no. 2 of Poltava Mining. The company ordered modern X-ray fluorescence equipment that automates the collection and preparation of samples for various types of chemical analysis of products at all stages of the production process. Every two hours, the equipment provides a result that helps Ferrexpo technologists to quickly obtain information about the chemical composition of the concentrate. This speeds up the response process several times to potential situations that could affect quality indicators and minimizes the human factor, improving workplace safety.
The second successfully implemented large-scale project was the launch of a sampling complex for concentrates and finished commercial products sent to the consumer. It is important to highlight that Ferrexpo was the first company in Ukraine to implement such a project. Modern equipment from leading global manufacturers was installed, which automatically collects samples when the iron ore concentrate is loaded into the wagons. The sampler then sends them to the laboratory, where experts determine the chemical and physical properties of the concentrate and issue a quality certificate for shipment.
Sampler at Ferrexpo Poltava Mining
Additional plans
Although full-scale warfare is making adjustments to the timing of some large-scale quality improvement projects, Ferrexpo's global plans to optimize production processes and its desire to remain among the world leaders in the mining and metals sector are not are less ambitious.
Our goal is to complete a series of additional quality management projects. One of the initiatives is the installation of a sampling tower to ensure control of the input of ore that reaches our crushing and processing plants. The equipment will help to quickly adjust production processes and thus significantly affect the stability of quality indicators obtained in finished products. Construction and installation works at several locations are currently being completed as part of this project.
The next initiative is the construction of a unique laboratory to determine the quality of geological samples from the Group's three facilities in Ukraine. This laboratory will allow Ferrexpo to have operational data to plan the quality of the ore supplied to produce the pellets required by customers with previously defined quality requirements. The design and budget documentation for the construction and equipment of this laboratory has already been finalized.
We also developed a project to improve the selection system for finished products – iron ore pellets – for shipping to consumers. It is planned that the complex will be fully automated: from sampling and delivery to the laboratory to the subsequent determination of the physical properties of the pellets.
Ferrexpo continues to improve Ukraine's image in the markets of Europe, Asia and the Middle East
Working on product quality is a continuous process and a focus of attention at all levels of the Group's management. Laboratory technicians and controllers at Ferrexpo facilities are constantly improving their skills and qualifications, cooperating with leading Ukrainian research institutes and companies and European experts, and regularly participating in professional training. Last year, we also started similar training for technologists and production workers. We realize that this is an effective practice for deepening multifunctional interaction and updating the knowledge of all participants in the production process. And most importantly, our experts and foreigners speak the same technical language.
All these initiatives together ensure that the iron ore pellets and concentrates produced at Ferrexpo facilities meet all the requirements of international regulations, which is confirmed and highly appreciated by our customers.
By investing millions of US dollars in quality, we not only increase customer loyalty, but also continue to attract foreign currency revenue to Ukraine. Ferrexpo is demonstrating to the world that companies with Ukrainian assets can be reliable partners in the production of high-quality, low-carbon steel. This significantly improves Ukraine's image in the markets of Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
