A 1997 referendum in Tikhvin opposed the establishment of the plant, but after acquiring the unfinished project in 2001, ICT Group announced its intention to complete its construction.
[4] A low world demand for ferrochromium delayed the factory's ramp-up to full production, with two furnaces started in 2007 and another two in 2008.
The company began production from concentrated chrome ore from the Mechel-held Voskhod chrome processing plant (ГОКа "Восход-Хром"[5]) in Kazakhstan in early 2009.
[4] In April 2008, the plant's owner, Oriel Resources, was acquired by Mechel.
In 2013, Mechel sold its ferroalloy holdings, including the Tikhvin plant, to Yildirim (Turkey).