Acme Metals Produces World's First MiniGrated Steel

Business Wire, Oct 7, 1996

RIVERDALE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 1996--Acme Metals announced today that its Acme Steel subsidiary produced a test coil through its continuous thin slab caster and seven-stand hot strip mill currently being commissioned in Riverdale, a Chicago suburb.

Acme's new facility is the world's first complex to produce MiniGrated(TM) steel, combining highly efficient mini-mill casting and rolling technology with the traditional high quality liquid steel produced via the blast furnace/basic oxygen furnace technology.

Stephen D. Bennett, Acme Metals president and chief executive officer commented, "We have reached a significant milestone on the journey we began in August 1994 when we announced and broke ground for our new facility."

The Acme Metals CEO went on to say, "Our strategic investment in this state-of-the-art facility will result in higher quality steels for customers, create opportunities to both expand our share of present markets and enter new markets, as well as enable us to leapfrog the prevalent industry cost structure and technology. As a result, we will take a better product, at a lower cost, to a larger market, and get there 10 days faster. We expect Acme to emerge as one of the strongest competitors in North America."

Acme Metals Incorporated, through its operating subsidiaries, is a fully integrated producer of steel, steel strapping and strapping products, welded steel tubing, and auto and light truck jacks. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AMI and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AMK.

CONTACT: Acme Metals Incorporated

James W. Hoekwater, 708/849-2500