Igor Korytko: Digitalization is a Prerequisite for the Development of an Industrial Company

Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK) will continue the course towards digital transformation, which is a prerequisite for the development of the industry. This was stated by Igor Korytko, General Director of TMK, speaking at the 5th SAP International Mining and Metallurgical Summit. The summit was held on September 15 in an online format, with TMK co-organizing the event.

During the plenary session of the summit, Igor Korytko noted that today industrial companies cannot build their work without digital solutions.

“To effectively manage our industrial capacities, effectively redistribute the load, build logistics and cooperation chains, digital tools are needed, and this is almost impossible to achieve manually. Therefore, we have a powerful arsenal of digital solutions at our service, one of them is the SAP solution – the IBP Integrated Planning System, which we recently launched into pilot operation, ”said Igor Korytko.

He noted that digital solutions also help improve product quality. TMK solves this problem thanks to the Digital Manufacturing program, which implements systems that collect information about all stages of the technological process, product quality at different stages, and allow, based on the analysis of “big data,” to adjust the technology and bring the product to perfection. Another important area is building digital relationships with customers, which TMK, thanks to IT tools, makes it possible to monitor the production process, product shipment and organizes electronic document flow.

Caring for the environment is also a key component of industrial development. TMK takes into account the environmental factor both when modernizing production and introducing new products to the market.

“We offer pipe solutions that help our customers move in this direction. For hydrocarbon production, we supply products such as cleaner, lubricated-free pipe connections and insulated pipes to prevent permafrost thawing. TMK develops a whole line of pipe solutions for the nuclear power industry. We are also focusing on the development of hydrogen energy, which will take an increasing share in the energy balance. Already today the company has a line of pipe solutions for the production, transportation, storage and use of hydrogen, ”noted Igor Korytko.

Answering the question about what factors will determine the development of the industry in the future, he noted that “the priority will be flexible management, operational planning, automation, emphasis on the development of advanced technologies, as well as the competencies of employees.” At the same time, according to him, these trends are relevant not only for metallurgy, but also for other industries.

During the summit, TMK management representatives also presented in detail the company’s experience in implementing a production and sales planning system for up to 18 months, together with colleagues demonstrated the results of the implementation of a blockchain register of quality certificates for metal products, discussed the possibilities of a flexible carbon management system and reported on the work with digital solutions for information processing within the framework of the TMK-Sinara Business Services Center (CBU).

A virtual tour of the Seversky Pipe Plant (STZ), which is part of TMK, was held for the event participants. During the video tour, participants and guests of the online forum learned the history of metallurgical production in the city of Polevskoy, Sverdlovsk region, where STZ is located, got acquainted in detail with the technology of pipe manufacturing, production and environmental facilities, as well as the social activities of the enterprise.