Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has mastered the technology for manufacturing rolled metal products with increased resistance to atmospheric corrosion. The steel does not require painting or protective coatings. The main advantage is an impermeable oxide film that blocks oxygen access, the plant's press service reported.
The oxide film, or protective patina, adheres firmly to the metal and prevents internal corrosion. The rolled products are used in bridge building, shipbuilding, industrial and civil construction. They are suitable for facades, exterior elements, and small architectural forms. Hot-rolled, pickled, and cold-rolled products are produced in coils and sheets according to ASTM A606/A606M-25 standard.
For metallurgists, this is an entry into a segment previously dominated by imports. Weathering steel does not require painting, which means the customer saves on structural protection for decades. Bridges, port cranes, facades: where ordinary steel rusts, the new steel works without maintenance. MMK fills a niche that previously relied on foreign supplies.