Annual Report 2008

REPORT BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Share in the EU production of selected products in 2008 Steel seamless precision cold drawn tubes 91 % 9% Steel seamless cold drawn tubes other than for precision application 93% 7% ŽELEZIARNE PODBREZOVÁ Steel seamless hot rolled tubes up to diameter of 168.3 mm 93% 7% EU producers Železiarne Podbrezová When making our overal! production performance evaluation in 2008, we stated that the quality of products was high, which was a result of implementing several technological innovations in recent years. The quality management system is certified according to ISO/TS 16949:2002, API 01, and VDA 6.1 standards. Procedures standardised in accordance with the certificates above allow us to deliver our products to all segments, including the automotive industry. The system of environmental management is certified according to ISO 14001 : 2004; the occupational health and safety system is certified under the BSi OHSAS 18001 standard. Despite the decreased demand at the end of the year, we sold our customers products, works, and services worth a record-breaking SKK 9 200.8 million (EUR 305.4 million) In 2008, Železiarne Podbrezová products were purchased by customers in 37 countries. The regional sales structure did not fundamentally change in 2008, with the dominant market segment continuing to be EU countries in the following order: the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, ltaly and Hungary.