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The fifth International Industrial and Technical Conference "The Role of Carbon-Graphite Products in Industry" was held last week in Moscow. It is the largest industry event in the CIS. More than 180 participants represented companies in the metallurgy, carbon-graphite, oil and gas, and mechanical engineering industries, industry research institutes, and government agencies from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Belarus. El-6 Group organized the event.

The conference is designed as a production and technical event, bringing together the expertise of researchers and manufacturers of carbon-graphite products and materials. This year's speakers include leading experts from NUST MISIS, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, RTU "MIREA," and the St. Petersburg Mining University, as well as department heads from metallurgical giants and leading raw material producers.

The conference program, as at previous meetings, was designed specifically for managers and specialists from production and engineering departments in the metallurgical industry. In their presentations, the speakers explored global BAT trends in electric arc furnace steelmaking, the dynamics of the Russian scrap metal market, the ferrous metallurgy industry, and the carbon anode materials market. A separate report was devoted to the possibility of replacing pitch coke with petroleum coke.

The speakers also discussed issues of optimizing EAF power equipment and power modes, implementing a smart EAF electrode irrigation system, and synthesizing refractory products for metallurgy and electrometallurgy. As per tradition, the program also included topics on digitalization, logistics, and approaches to specialist training.

This year, the conference's role as an expert industry platform was expanded. 

"For the first time in five years, we presented an analytical report on the state of the carbon-graphite industry in Russia. It reflects the dynamics of various sales markets, the geography of raw material supplies, Russia's position as an importer, and the barriers and challenges us, together with the entire metallurgy market, are currently overcoming. This is a major undertaking, in which we objectively assessed the situation," shared Sergey Ushakov, CEO of El 6.

The second day of the conference was devoted to joint project work in a roundtable format. As always, it was divided into four thematic sections: "Aluminum," "Steel," "Ferroalloys," and "Structural Products."

"These roundtables are a crucial format for direct dialogue with clients. They are honest, detailed, and professional. They allow us to understand market needs, collect feedback, and develop a clear understanding of current client demands. Based on this year's discussions, we will, as always, develop product development roadmaps and share the results," says Sergey Ushakov, CEO of El 6.

The sixth conference, "The Role of Carbon-Graphite Products in Industry," will also be held in 2027.