The paper observes several important directions of up-to-date metallurgical technologies and experience of their putting into practice. Permanent optimization of steel production processes is the important component of manufacturing value-added products at iron and steel works. Especial attention should be paid to efficiency rise of equipment operation with simultaneous improvement of consumption of materials and energy resources. Therefore, stable investing activity even during crisis period is very important, and recent modernization of many metallurgical facilities and building the new ones have been realized even in 2009-2010. New continuous casting machine for slabs 250/350 mm in thickness has been started by Salzgitter Flachstahl. SMS Meer GmbH has developed and put into operation six hydraulic radial forging machines. Another prospective technology is soft metal reduction in manufacturing long steel products from 150x150 mm square cast metal: experience of Saarstahl AG is presented. Different aspects of application og laser measuring devices in metal production and numerical simulation of metallurgical processes are discussed, as well as problems of rolling roll fabrication and the measures for improvement of IT-safety of metallurgical enterprises.