The First International Conference "Scientific and technological progress in the steel industry" took place in Cherepovets, in the business center Torovo on October 2-4, 2013. The coordinators were Severstal OAO and Cherepovets State University.

About 100 representatives from more than 40 Russian and foreign organizations were present at the Conference, including such steel companies as Severstal North America (United States), Accusteel Ltd. (Israel), Voestalpine Steel Division (Austria), Zaporozhstal (Ukraine), OMK (United Metallurgical Company) (Russia), Chelyabinsk Pipe Plant (Russia), HATCH (Canada), etc. The following topics were discussed: the results of new developments in the steel industry regarding theory, technology, equipment, testing and automation for the last 5 years.

Ilya Utkin, Deputy Director for Innovation and Technological Development of ULTRAKRAFT, made a report "Non-destructive testing of quality of plates and slabs at temperature 850 Celsius degree".