The press release also said that for the first time ever, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested in bonds of a Slovenian company. The EBRD invested EUR 8.5m, which accounts for 17% of the entire issue.

The money will be used for diversification sources of long-term funds and to ensure the optimal liquidity for the group's new investment cycle.

Some EUR 250m are planned in the new cycle, running until 2020, according to the press release. It will focus on boosting production of steel products with higher added value and specialisation of products, among other things.

The EUR 51m issue comes after SIJ already issued EUR 43m in bonds last autumn and additional EUR 20m in commercial papers in the spring.

The most recent issue has exceeded initial expectations, which had been between EUR 30m and EUR 50m.