SUEK holds the first place in Russia by outputs, keeping strong position among the largest coal producers in the world. Since founded in 2001, SUEK has almost tripled the coal production, reaching 96.2 million tons in 2008. This dynamics is supported not only by the expansion of coal extraction assets that has been going on during all these years: it is, first and foremost, the result of implementing of the output growth program, competent investment policy and rising efficiency of production. Lately, the fundamental re-equipping of the production facilities was undertaken in the extracting operating units of SUEK. The longwall-method coal extraction from is carried out by up-to-date mechanized integrated machines of DBT, JOY and TAGOR types, drifting faces are equipped with high output cutter-loaders of JOY, DOSCO, КП-21 types, while mined rock is transported by belt conveyors.

Our most important objective is to raise the production efficiency together with the continuous improvement of the occupational safety rate, reducing the number of injuries and emergencies in the company's operating units.  Nowadays, SUEK is one of the best players in the industry in terms of productivity and cost saving. Since 2001, the productivity in our operating units has risen almost 1.5-fold.

SUEK is the largest coal exporter in Russia. Therefore, product quality improvement is regarded as an important objective. In 2009 the Tugnuy coal enriching facility in Buryatia is to be completed, in 2008 the "Chernogorskaya" coal enriching factory in Khakassia was partially upgraded, with the 2nd phase of upgrading targeted for 2009 and meant to bring the production capacity to 6.0 mln tonnes of coal. 

Vladimir Artemiev,
Deputy Director General,
Production Operations Director.