BUSINESS/ORGANIZATIONAL BRIEFS

Commercial Metals Expands Operations

Irving, TX— Commercial Metals Company has acquired Lofland Acquisition, Inc. Lofland is the sole stockholder of The Lofland Company and subsidiaries which operate steel reinforcing bar fabrication and construction-related products sales facilities. Lofland is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, where Ralph Lofland founded the business in 1934. CMC paid approximately $47 million cash and assumed no debt other than trade payables owed by Lofland at closing.

“The acquisition of Lofland complements our existing Texas rebar fabrication and construction-related product sales operations which are concentrated principally outside of North Texas. At the same time it expands our service areas with significant operating bases in each of the neighboring states. Lofland has a proud heritage, excellent reputation and strategic presence in expanding Southwestern markets. We expect this acquisition to be accretive to earnings in the first year,” said Stanley A. Rabin, chairman, president and chief executive officer of CMC.

Sunoco Builds Coke Plant in Ohio

Philadelphia, PA— Sunoco, Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Sun Coke Company, will start the construction of a heat recovery coke manufacturing plant in Haverhill, Ohio. Initial coke production is expected to be during the first quarter of 2005. Upon completion, the Haverhill facility will produce approximately 550 thousand tons of screened blast furnace coke per year to be sold to the International Steel Group (“ISG”) under a long-term contract and approximately 450 thousand pounds per hour of steam to be sold to Sunoco’s adjacent phenol-manufacturing facility.

“For Sunoco, the project represents a strategic, synergistic and accretive investment,” said Sunoco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John G. Drosdick.

“Financially, the project should provide an attractive return on investment and generate net income of approximately $15 million annually for the company. Strategically, this agreement increases our total coke production by 27 percent and strengthens our supplier relationship with ISG. By locating the plant in Haverhill, the heat recovery steam generation associated with our cokemaking process will provide lower cost energy to our adjacent phenol-manufacturing complex and will provide that facility with protection from rising natural gas costs. This agreement represents a significant step forward for our coke business and its efforts to add additional value to Sunoco.”

Sun Coke Company’s process utilizes technology that eliminates coke oven emissions and is specifically referenced in the U.S. Clean Air Act as the “maximum achievable control technology” for coke production. The Haverhill facility will include coal transfer operations, processing and heat recovery steam generation.

NAPCOR Creates Recycling Guide

Charlotte, NC— The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), the trade association for the PET plastic industry in the United States and Canada, has completed creation of the Single-Serve Recycling Toolkit, a step-by-step guide to establishing or expanding recycling programs for single-serve PET plastic bottles at events and special venues of various sizes.

The comprehensive guide details the steps involved in venue and event recycling – from analyzing costs and benefits to collecting, handling and processing single-serve containers - and will be distributed free of charge by the association.

The Toolkit outlines an approach to recycling at venues and events that emphasizes maximum material recovery in a cost-efficient manner, while recognizing the value of education and promotion as tools to reinforce the importance of recycling in our society.

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic is the type of plastic with the #1 code on or near the bottom of the container. PET plastic bottles are commonly used to package water, soft drinks, sports drinks and beer, which are sold across the country at events (like state fairs and festivals) and special venues (like stadiums, arenas, and race tracks) across the country.

Verizon Wireless Recycles Used Cell Phones to Assist Domestic Violence Victims

Orangeburg, NY— Drop off your old cell phone at a Verizon Wireless Communications Store and help fight domestic violence through the company’s HopeLines Phone Recycling Program. All phones collected will be recycled or sold, and either phones or cash will be donated to non-profit domestic violence agencies. What’s more, you’ll know you disposed of your phone in an environmentally-safe way.

In 2003, Verizon Wireless donated nearly $45,000 to domestic violence agencies from the proceeds of phone recycling drives throughout the New York Metro area. As a result of HopeLine and related phone recycling programs the company has organized since 1995, Verizon Wireless has collected more than one million used wireless phones for the benefit of domestic violence victims and advocacy groups, including nearly 85,000 wireless handsets in the New York Metro area.

Treatment of Radioactive Waste Assigned to Perma-Fix Subsidiary

Oak Ridge, TN— East Tennessee Materials & Energy Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. has been awarded a contract with the potential value of several million dollars by Bechtel Jacobs Company, LLC of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for low level radioactive waste processing and shipping from the Oak Ridge Reservation.

Bechtel Jacobs Company, LLC, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Closure Contractor for the Oak Ridge Reservation, estimates that approximately 22,000 cubic meters of low level radioactive waste currently in storage will require processing and shipping for disposal between October 2003 and June 2005.

The low level radioactive waste will consist primarily of dry active waste, scrap metal, and construction demolition debris. East Tennessee Materials & Energy Corporation will perform processing and shipping under this contract at its facility located at the East Tennessee Technology Park. The facility is in close proximity to the stored waste.

Bethlehem Steel Corporation Dissolved

Bethlehem, PA— Bethlehem Steel Corporation announced that its Plan of Liquidation, which was confirmed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on October 22, 2003, became effective on December 31, 2003, and, pursuant to that Plan, Bethlehem Steel Corporation and its remaining subsidiaries were dissolved on December 31, 2003. Additionally, all of the outstanding stock of Bethlehem Steel Corporation has been cancelled.

Link-Belt Names Two New Dealers in New York

Lexington, KY— LBX Company, makers of Link-Belt Earthmoving, Forestry and Material Handling Equipment announced the appointment of two new authorized distributors of Link-Belt Excavators, articulated trucks, wheel loaders, timber loaders and material handlers in New York. The new dealers - George and Swede Sales and Service, Inc. in Pavilion, and New Millennium Rentals, Inc. in New Windsor, join the network of LBX dealers across north America.

George and Swede was founded in 1983 with a commitment to provide heavy equipment repair service and sales in northwest New York. The company has expanded its facilities and added several manufacturer partners through the years to reach that goal.

New Millennium opened its doors in 2000 to offer better rental options to the environmental, recycling, demolition and highway construction industries. The company specializes in providing excavators with job-specific attachments to accommodate a wide variety of tasks.

Harris Waste Management Hires George Elkins

Peachtree City, GA— Harris Waste Management Group, Inc. (Harris) has hired George Elkins as General Manager for the Baxley, Georgia manufacturing facility. George brings with him 31 years of industrial experience with a variety of products and positions in the manufacturing industry. He was previously employed by Harris as group purchasing manager.

George has an Industrial Engineering degree from Auburn University, and he carries two certifications; the C.P.M. - Certified Purchasing Manager through the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM); and CPIM – Certified Production and Inventory Management through APICS. George comes from Marconi, Inc., LaGrange, Georgia where he worked as their materials manager.

SWANA Hosts Training for Managers of Landfills

Silver Spring, MD— The Northern California Gold Rush Chapter of SWANA-the Solid Waste Associate of North America, will host the next California Manager of Landfill Operations training session. The event is scheduled for March 2-5, 2004 in the Sacramento area.

In addition to the training and certification course, a California-specific exam will also be administered. All interested parties should contact John F. Boss, Senior Project Manger at Gannett Fleming, Inc., via phone at 916-961-9835, fax at 800-631-1698, or e-mail at jboss@gfnet.com.

Caterpillar's Environmental Standards Recognized

Peoria, IL— EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt recognized Caterpillar Inc. as a Climate Leaders partner. Caterpillar recently joined Climate Leaders, a voluntary program established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as further demonstration of the company’s ongoing commitment to developing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Since 1990, Caterpillar has reduced direct greenhouse gas emissions from its U.S. facilities by more than 35 percent. In addition, Cat clean diesel engines continue to improve fuel efficiency while meeting ever more stringent federal and state emissions reduction standards. Caterpillar has reduced emissions in on-highway diesel engines by 90 percent since the late 1980s. And, with the benefit of breakthrough ACERT technology, the company will reduce emissions a further 90 percent by 2007.

“The Climate Leaders program will better enable Caterpillar to continue its efforts on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is another example of our long-standing commitment to preserving and protecting our environment,” said Ali M. Bahaj, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for the company’s Corporate Environment, Health and Safety Department. “Intelligent, responsible public policies will ensure that environmental protection is compatible with strong global economic growth and development.”

The Climate Leaders program challenges businesses to develop a comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions inventory for their activities and to set aggressive, long-term emissions reduction goals. Members, like Caterpillar, benefit from the program by identifying themselves as environmental leaders, improving their understanding of their GHG emissions and creating a lasting record of accomplishments.

John Balkcom Joins IMCO Recycling's Board

Irving, TX— IMCO Recycling Inc. announced that John E. Balkcom, the recently retired president of St. John’s College, Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been elected a member of the company’s board of directors.

Mr. Balkcom, was president of St. John’s College from 2000 to 2003 after serving in early 2000 as adjunct professor of economics at the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Balkcom was principal of Sibson & Company, Chicago, a human capital consulting firm where he was an advisor to chief executive officers and boards of directors of both publicly owned and nonprofit organizations. He is the author of numerous articles on executive evaluation and compensation, strategic performance measurement and the role of boards of directors.

Allied Waste Completes Divestitures

Scottsdale, AZ— Allied Waste Industries, Inc. announced that effective December 31, 2003, it had successfully completed its 2003 divestiture program aimed at generating $300 million of proceeds for debt repayment.

Allied Waste completed portions of the previously announced divestiture of its northern and central Florida operations to Capital Environmental Resource, Inc., which generated approximately $76 million of proceeds. The sale of the remaining Florida operations is expected to close during the first quarter of 2004 and result in approximately $44 million of proceeds.

The company also completed the sale of certain non-integrated operations in Virginia, Idaho and Wyoming to two separate private companies for combined proceeds of approximately $100 million. These operations represent approximately $58 million in annual revenue, and include collection, transfer and recycling operations.

Upon the completion of the balance of the Florida divestiture, the company will have completed the divestiture of approximately $335 million of annual revenue and approximately $65 million of annual operating income before depreciation and amortization for expected proceeds of approximately $330 million.

Packer Industries Grinders Aid Job Site Recycling

Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada— Weyerhaeuser Company and Tolko Industries have signed a letter of intent for the sale to Tolko of the Weyerhaeuser oriented strand board (OSB) mill located at Slave Lake, Alberta for approximately $C56 million ($US43 million). The transaction is targeted to close on February 27, 2004, and is subject to approval by the Weyerhaeuser board of directors, as well as government and other required approvals.

The Slave Lake OSB mill has annual production capacity of 240 million square feet (3/8-inch basis), and a timber allocation of approximately 600,000 cubic meters per year. The mill directly employs about 140 people.

Weyerhaeuser acquired the Slave Lake mill in 1992. In Alberta, Weyerhaeuser also operates two other OSB mills at Edson and Drayton Valley; a pulp mill at Grande Prairie, sawmills in Grande Prairie and Drayton Valley; an engineered products plant at Claresholm, as well several sales and customer service centers.

Metal Management Achieves Certification at Three Additional Facilities

Chicago, IL— Metal Management, Inc. announced that its three Metal Management Ohio, Inc. facilities have been certified to the ISO 9001:2000 Standard. This is in addition to the six Chicago-area Metal Management Midwest, Inc. facilities already certified to the ISO 9001:2000 Standard.

Since the 1990’s, ISO 9000 quality series certification has become a major objective of American manufacturers and their suppliers, especially as they compete internationally. “We are very proud of our employees and pleased that Metal Management’s dedication to customer service and product quality has resulted in the ISO 9001:2000 Standard certification at our Ohio and Midwest facilities,” acknowledged Albert A. Cozzi, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Metal Management, Inc.

On December 15, 2000, the ISO 9000 Standard was revised to the ISO 9001:2000 Standard. With the revision, all companies with an ISO 9000:1994 certification had to get registered to the new Standard by December 15, 2003 or their original certifications would expire.

Metal Management Ohio had been ISO 9002:1994 certified since February 1996. The recent audit, conducted by Underwriters Laboratories Inc., and ongoing certification indicate Metal Management Ohio operations are in conformance with ISO 9001:2000. The company’s three Ohio ISO 9001:2000 Standard-registered sites are Metal Management Ohio, Cleveland yard, Metal Management Ohio, Defiance yard and Metal Management Ohio, Toledo yard.

Capital Environmental Completes Acquisitions and Financing

Burlington, Ontario— Capital Environmental Resource Inc. announced that it had, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Waste Services, Inc., completed the first phase of its previously announced acquisition of the Northern and Central Florida operations of Allied Waste Industries, Inc. on December 31, 2003. The acquisition was financed through a new U.S. $220 million Senior Secured Credit facility arranged by Lehman Brothers Inc. and funded through Lehman Commercial Paper Inc. The new facility is comprised of a U.S. $195 million term loan and a revolving credit facility of U.S. $25 million. Initial borrowings under this facility were used to finance the acquisition, repay Capital’s existing senior credit facility and pay related fees and expenses.

Separately, Capital announced that, effective December 31, 2003, it completed the acquisition of the assets of Horizon Waste Systems of Arizona, Inc, a solid waste collection business operating in the greater Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area with annual revenue of approximately U.S. $8.5 million. The purchase price included cash of U.S. $4.5 million and 600,000 shares of Capital common stock. The majority of the disposal volume generated by Horizon will be internalized with Capital’s previously announced Arizona landfill and transfer station acquisitions now scheduled to open in the second half of 2004.

Gant Joins AK Steel

Middletown, OH— AK Steel announced that Douglas Gant, 45, has been named vice president, sales and customer service. Mr. Gant has more than twenty years of sales, marketing and product management experience with the company.

Mr. Gant started his career in 1980 at the company's Detroit sales office. He progressed through a number of sales and marketing positions in the Detroit office and at the corporate headquarters in Middletown. He advanced to regional sales manager for the Detroit sales office in 1995 and to general manager, sales in 1999 with responsibility for all of AK Steel's field sales offices nationwide. In 2001 he was named director, sales and marketing with responsibility for managing carbon steel sales and marketing for AK Steel.