50th birthdays tend to be a special milestone. This “half a century” idea makes people scroll through the past and use their precious experience to roll out plans for the future. It somehow deserves a real celebration, something special…

I am not a party animal, but when I was offered the opportunity to join the 50th anniversary of our steel plant in Kazakhstan – ArcelorMittal Temirtau – I did not hesitate to fly out. On the plane I closed my eyes and started wondering what a birthday party at a steel plant would look like.

Many things happen in a life time. Many of the special guests, including the Kazakh president who attended the event, would certainly agree with this. President N. Nazarbayev, used to work himself for almost a decade in the blast furnace.

During a key note speech the President said ArcelorMittal Temirtau remains the leading steel company in Kazakhstan. Leadership and employees made great contributions to the improvement of the plant. “The company got through many difficulties during the last 50 years. The first decade of successful development gave way to the severe crisis after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In such tough economic conditions, the company had to find a foreign investor”, the President N. Nazarbayev said.

The President was joined by Mr Mittal and 8 veterans of the Karaganda plant. Later in the afternoon all employees gathered in a large sports complex for a concert followed by fireworks. I watched the thousands of people, thinking about all the work they have done during the last 15 years and their involvement in future activities. Yes, it is certainly true that – no matter how great birthday celebrations are – the best birthdays of all are those that haven’t arrived yet.

By Lynn Robbroeckx, Media Relations, ArcelorMittal

Flags of all 32 participating countries are all over the country, flying and unfurling in the African wind. They are being pasted, painted and displayed everywhere and anywhere possible.

Being part of the excitement during this time makes me feel extremely proud of the road we have travelled and what we have achieved as a nation in the last 16 years.

I stand amazed at the spirit with which people are embracing the World Cup experience and how they are moving out of their comfort zones in doing so.  Seeing conservative and traditionally non-soccer people blowing the ‘Vuvuzela’ (trumpet like instrument which makes a loud noise) and wearing the ‘Makarapa’ (extremely decorated hard hat) are just some of the jewels of this World Cup for South Africa.

ArcelorMittal South Africa did its part to include personnel in the whole experience by running a competition where employees could win tickets to some of the games.

715.1 million people from all over the world watched the 2006 World Cup final. FIFA predicts the number to be even higher this time. And knowing that they will watch soccer games played in stadiums partially built with ArcelorMittal steel, is one of the proudest feelings any employee of this company can have.

Author: Hendie Grobbelaar, Communication Consultant, ArcelorMittal South Africa, Vanderbijlpark Works