OHIO STEELMAKERS CONTINUE TO INVEST IN STATE’S ECONOMY WITH MORE THAN $297 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 15, 2007) –  Members of the Ohio Steel Council are continuing to invest in the state’s economy with expenditures totaling more than $297 million in capital upgrades in 2006. The numbers released today by the Council represent the second-highest investment total since 2000.

Since the start of the decade Ohio Steel Council members have invested more than $1 billion in capital improvements – evidence that Ohio steel producers are committed to maintaining both their global competitiveness and environmental leadership.

“Ohio’s steel industry continues its critical investments in plants and operations to further improve efficiency,” said Patrick G. Tatom, co-chairman of the council and president and chief executive officer of WCI Steel, Inc.

“Ohio steel producers are developing cutting-edge technologies that will position them for leadership in the highly competitive global steel market. At the same time, these capital projects employ Ohio companies and Ohio skilled labor, which benefits the state’s economy,” Tatom said.

Each year, the Ohio steel industry purchases $2.2 billion in goods and services from other Ohio businesses, according to IMPLAN, a widely used economic model.

The 2006 figures include several projects that were initiated or in progress in 2006, including:

- Mittal Steel USA – Cleveland is investing $30 million in major improvements to the company’s blast furnace and $23.5 million to complete a new galvannealing line.

- The Timken Company in Canton is investing $60 million in an expansion of its Canton rolling operations. When it is complete in mid-2008, it will create about 30 jobs.

- WCI Steel, Inc. is installing a new walking beam furnace at its hot strip mill ($36.7 million) and recently completed construction of a new baghouse system at its basic oxygen furnace ($29.3 million). In all, the company will invest at least $125 million in the Warren-based plant over the next four years.

- V&M STAR is investing $35 million in its Youngstown steelmaking facility and $40 million in rolling upgrades.

- AK Steel has invested about $30 million in its Zanesville facility, part of a $55 million expansion project aimed at helping the company meet continued strong demand for electrical steel products used in electrical generation and transmission markets.

The Ohio Steel Council is a public-private partnership designed to strengthen ties among the steel industry, the state of Ohio and its citizens. The council’s member organizations are AK Steel Corp., Lorain Tubular Operations (of United States Steel Corporation), Mittal Steel USA, Ohio Department of Development, Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Senate, PRO-TEC Coating Company (a joint venture of United States Steel Corporation and Kobe Steel, Ltd.), Republic Engineered Products, Inc., The Timken Company, Thomas Steel Strip Corp., United Steelworkers of America, V&M STAR, WCI Steel, Inc., Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp., Cleveland State University and The Ohio State University. For more information, visit www.ohiosteel.org.