AIST international symposium in Kosice for first time

An international symposium on cranes, their reliability, safety and best maintenance practices was organized in Kosice last week, September 23rd and 24th, by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST). This meeting of the best part of 100 specialists from 12 countries around the world, from seven steelmaking firms and 21 supplier companies working in the lifting gear business, was prepared by AIST in Slovakia, in Kosice, for the first time in its four-year history.
According to the organizers this is thanks to the first President of U. S. Steel Kosice, John H. Goodish, who recommended the city. The participants in the event exchanged information and talked about the maintenance programs applied at the world's top steelworks and their contributions to the safety and reliability of cranes, and discussed the modernization and adaptation of lifting equipment, methods of inspection, but also training courses and regular retraining of crane operators. Official thanks in the form of diplomas for their help in organizing this event and their active participation were presented by AIST Executive Director Ron Ashburn to U. S. Steel Kosice President George F. Babcoke and Vice President Operations Matthew B. Perkins.

US Ambassador praises cooperation with third sector

"It's splendid when people are able to cooperate and share together in activities for the benefit of the wider community and the whole region. We really appreciate this mutual cooperation between an industrial company and the third sector. It's an excellent example for the others," the Ambassador of the USA in the Slovak Republic Vincent Obsitnik told Ocel Vychodu, referring to the joint grant program of U. S. Steel Kosice and the Carpathian Foundation called "Together for the Region", whose aim is to motivate, identify and support community development projects for the stimulation of local population groups.
During his visit to Eastern Slovakia last week, the American Ambassador met CF Slovakia Director Laura Dittel and presented a symbolic check for ten thousand dollars in support for the activities of the Foundation. The money will be used for the project aiming to increase the social responsibility of local firms. The Embassy's support will be applied to the spreading of experience gained in another project entitled "The Way It Works", completed last year, in which they investigated and assessed the social responsibility of companies in the countries of the Carpathian region, in Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. In the coming months the project will be focusing on Ukraine.

George F. Babcoke meets employees' representatives

Last Wednesday, September 24th, U. S. Steel Kosice President George F. Babcoke attended a working lunch with ten employees' representatives for the area of occupational safety who are actively contributing to the improvement of working conditions and occupational safety at the USSK works. This meeting, which was also a form of appreciation of the employees' work in seeking out and eliminating risks, was also attended by Vice President Operations Matthew B. Perkins. This year the Blast Furnaces, Hot Strip Mill, Radiators and Pipes and Services divisions have passed the twelve-month mark in working without injuries, and the Repairs division is approaching that mark.