Steelmaking team faces great challenges

From Monday to Friday this week the Handball Hall at the All-Sports Area sees all the employees of U. S. Steel Kosice and its subsidiaries taking turns in attending a series of working meetings with Company top management. At these meetings they are being informed about the current state of occupational safety, production operations, the capital investment program, sales and marketing, and the requirements of ethical conduct.
Deputy GM Occupational Safety and Health Tomas Zagata states that since 2001 the Company has been successful in reducing the injury rate. GM Finishing Ladislav Hanuscalka speaks about keeping workplaces orderly, presented the projects for environmental protection in the years 2008 to 2012, evaluates the production results achieved in 2007, and introduces the production plan for 2008. Deputy GM Engineering Activities Pavol Podhorsky appraises the capital investment program from 2000 to 2007 and outlines the prognoses for the next five years.
The situation on the steel market is described by GM Marketing and Strategic Planning Julius Lang. In Europe the demand for steel persists, while prices for energy, oil, iron ore, coal and scrap are reaching their historical maximum, and the outlook for 2008 in the principal steel-processing sectors is optimistic. GM Commercial, Occupational and Proprietary Law Olga Cerna speaks about the principles of ethical conduct. She draws attention to the programs and the resources, especially the seven guiding principles of ethical conduct.
U. S. Steel Kosice President George F. Babcoke emphasizes that the highest priorities for him are safety and the best possible working conditions for employees. He declares the goal of zero injury rate realistic, and several organizational units are currently succeeding in maintaining this. He also mentions the situation on the steel market and the outlook for the coming months, as well as the overhauls awaiting the steelmaking team this year. In closing he reminds everyone present of the most important responsibilities guaranteeing the Company's success on the market. Time is reserved at each meeting for employees' questions.

Penguins are center of attention on Children's Day

The sort of crowds that came to Kosice Zoo on Sunday afternoon, June 1st, have not been seen there for a good many years. Hundreds of cars lined both sides of the road leading to the Zoo, indicating well in advance that the numbers of day-trippers and those accepting the invitation from U. S. Steel Kosice to celebrate International Children's Day together with welcoming the newly-arrived family of penguins would be in the hundreds, and more likely thousands.
The natural amphitheater was full when the celebrations began at 2 pm. The first to speak to everyone from the stage was U. S. Steel Kosice President George F. Babcoke. He wished everyone a lot of fun and new experiences, one of which, he declared, must surely be the opening of the new penguin enclosure, the building of which had been supported to a considerable degree by the Kosice steelworks. "USSK is a great supporter of the Zoo in Kosice, and intends to continue with this support in the future too. I hope you all feel very good here, and I'm sure that we're going to see each other in this area more often in the future," he said, and called Laura Beresova to join him on the stage so that he could present her with the prize for the best drawing of the penguins, selected as most attractive by the jury in the USSK-organized art competition and turned into the symbol for the Children's Day campaign.
In addition to a diploma and various other gifts, this friendly girl also received a voucher for a summer vacation camp of her choice in Slovakia run by the Elan Artists Agency. The Children's Day celebrations featured a rich and varied entertainment program, including an autograph session with the players of the Extra League Kosice Ice-Hockey Club.

Balloon Fiesta starts

Today, Wednesday, June 4th, sees the beginning in Kosice of the grand 15th edition of the international hot-air balloon fiesta called the U. S. Steel Balloon Cup. USSK has supported this event since 2001. From now till the end of the week the skies over the city will be the domain of 16 hot-air balloons from Slovakia and other countries.