Webco Industries, Inc. Announced Receipt of EPA Environmental Excellence Award

Business Wire, Oct 15, 1998

TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 15, 1998--

Company Realizes $100,000 Annual Cost Savings Through Reduced

Waste Production

Webco Industries, Inc. (AMEX: WEB) announced today that the Company has been selected as this year's recipient of the Environmental Excellence Award in Pollution Prevention by The Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") in Dallas, Texas.

This award is given to one entity per state. The EPA Region VI office in Dallas administers the Federal environmental program in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico. Any individual, facility, organization, governmental agency or corporation is eligible for the award by meeting several criteria including commitment to innovative pollution prevention strategies and communication of those strategies to others.

Webco has participated in EPA and Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Pollution Prevention Roundtable events within Region VI, which promotes the benefits of reducing waste while reducing costs. The Company's Environmental Affairs Director, David Gibbs, stated that "In each of the past four years, Webco's aggressive pollution prevention efforts have saved the Company over $100,000 in annual operating costs and reduced waste production over 90%."

This significant reduction in waste production was a result of innovative management of manufacturing by-products and included substantial reductions in pretreatment sludge and organic solvents. In addition, Webco was able to redirect the disposition of its sulfuric acid and effectively reduce the chemical's land disposal 100% by finding a third party that uses the chemical in its process, thereby converting it into a non- hazardous substance. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality ("ODEQ") determined these changes met the Company's voluntary commitment to substantially reduce its sulfuric acid waste by 1998. In the spring of 1997, the Company received other awards from the Federal EPA and ODEQ for early achievement of this goal.

Dana Weber, President of Webco Industries, Inc. commented, "Webco's strength in today's fiercely competitive markets is enhanced by the reductions in operating costs obtained through pollution prevention. In addition to the financial benefits, our efforts are helping the environment. These innovations are not trade secrets, however. We are pleased to share our pollution prevention efforts knowing that eventually everyone stands to benefit."

Webco is a specialty manufacturer of high-quality carbon steel tubing and stainless steel tubing products designed to industry and customer specifications. Webco's tubing products consist primarily of: welded carbon heat exchanger tubing, welded boiler tubing, stainless tube and pipe, and advanced mechanical tubing for use in consumer durable and capital goods. The Company's subsidiary Phillips & Johnston, represents several manufacturers who produce various mechanical and specialty tubular products made from copper, brass, aluminum and stainless steel, among others. Through its QuikWater division, the Company manufactures and markets a patented direct contact water heater for commercial and industrial applications. The Company has three production facilities in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania and five distribution facilities in Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois and Michigan, serving more than 1,300 customers throughout North America.