Russian metallurgical companies in USA court battle: Severstal and Mechel to meet in court of Illinois

The assets of Sevestal and Mechel, are to be put up for auction in the USA, - the steel-smelting plant Dearborn and coal company Bluestone – have met in American court. Seversal accuses Mechel of inappropriate payments under the settlement agreement and threatens lawsuits for supply disruptions in 2012. The market participants don’t remember such proceedings between Russian steelmakers abroad. For example, NLMK and OMK cooperate in the USA too, but don’t have mutual claims.

On May 6th, the North American steel rolling plant of Severstal, Severstal Dearborn sued in the court of Northern District of Illinois two American structures of Mechel - Mechel Bluestone Coal and its trading house Mechel North America Sales Corporation. According to the lawsuit, Severstal requires Mechel to pay $4 million for the violation of the settlement agreement, as well as interest and compensation of legal costs.