OREANDA-NEWS. On 21 April 2009 OMZ OJSC (Uralmash-Izhora Group) (RTS: OMZZ; LSE: OMZD; OTC: UHMVY) announced that a modernized SBSh-270IZ drilling rig produced by IZ-KARTEX LLC, a part of OMZ Group, for the metals company Chador Malu, Iran, has been put into operation.

The mobile unit, designed to make blast holes in open pit mining, has construction features which differentiate it from previous versions of the rig. The rig’s mast, consisting of two connected pipes, was lengthened to 23 meters instead of the 17.5 meters of earlier models. This allows full extraction of the drill rod from the blast hole. The machine can then move to another location without disassembly of the drill rod and with the mast fixed in a vertical position. With the need to assemble and disassemble the drill rod with each move, the change generates increased production efficiency.

The modernized rig successfully passed accepting tests and proved its high reliability and convenience in service.

A contract for supply of SBSh-270IZ drilling rig has been concluded in early 2008. The equipment was manufactured and supplied to the customer in 4Q 2008.

Supply of the rig allows IZ-KARTEX to enter prospect Iranian market of mining equipment and to expand the company’s client base.