OUTOKUMPU OYJ PRESS RELEASE November 18, 2015 at 10.00 am EET
International Chromium Development Association (ICDA) awarded Outokumpu’s operations in Kemi Mine, Finland, for the progress in safety improvements in contractors’ safety. The award is based on voting of ICDA member companies.
Says Jyrki Salmi, head of Kemi Mine: “We are extremely pleased with ICDA’s recognition. This acknowledgement highlights Outokumpu’s long term safety effort and developments both in Kemi Mine and Tornio stainless steel plant. Around half of the personnel working daily at the Kemi Mine are contractor employees, and their participation on safety actions is 100%. Globally our target is to get every employee, whether our own or contractor’s, home safely every day. The bottom line is always ‘Safety first’.”
Outokumpu Kemi Mine is the only operative chromite ore mine in the European Union. Production started in 1968 as an open pit, and currently all mining is underground. Total ore reserves are 48 million tonnes and mineral resources 100 million tonnes. Annual ore production in 2014 was 2.4 million tonnes. Ore is concentrated into upgraded lumpy ore and fine concentrate (1.1 million tonnes in 2014), which are raw materials for Outokumpu’s Ferrochrome Works in Tornio. Gravitational concentration is done without any chemicals.
ICDA is an international non-profit association that promotes the value and sustainability of chromium and represents the chromium industry worldwide. The association has members from 26 countries across five continents and it is the authoritative voice of the industry, dealing with chromium in all its forms. The best safety cases of chrome industry are published in ICDA’s Safety First 2015 publication.
For more information:
Corporate Communications, tel. +358 40 574 9210
Outokumpu Group Outokumpu is a global leader in stainless steel. We create advanced materials that are efficient, long lasting and recyclable – thus building a world that lasts forever. Stainless steel, invented a century ago, is an ideal material to create lasting solutions in demanding applications from cutlery to bridges, energy and medical equipment: it is 100% recyclable, corrosion-resistant, maintenance-free, durable and hygienic. Outokumpu employs more than 12 000 professionals in more than 30 countries, with headquarters in Espoo, Finland and shares listed in Nasdaq Helsinki. www.outokumpu.com
