BUSINESS/ORGANIZATIONAL BRIEFS

Agreement reached on sale of Alcan division

Montreal— Alcan Inc. announced that it has reached agreement on the principal terms of a sale of Pechiney Electrométallurgie (PEM) to Ferroatlantica, S.L., Spain’s leading ferroalloys and independent electrical power producer. The value of this transaction net of closing adjustments is likely to exceed Euro 100 million.

“This agreement is compelling for Alcan and consistent with our strategy of focusing on primary aluminum and divesting non-core activities,” said Cynthia Carroll, president and chief executive officer of Alcan Primary Metal Group. The parties expect to enter into a definitive share purchase agreement following the employee consultation process.

The transaction, which will ultimately be subject to relevant regulatory authorities approvals, should be completed in the second quarter of 2005.

Amanda Boren named marketing coordinator for Heil’s Parts Central

Chattanooga, TN— Parts Central, a Heil company, has appointed Amanda Boren to the newly created position of marketing coordinator. In this role, Boren will manage all of Parts Central’s marketing activities to promote its full line of refuse collection vehicle replacement parts. These activities include assisting Parts Central distributors with market intelligence, product analysis, pricing and promotional activities.

Boren joined the Heil Environmental marketing department as a market development specialist in February 2004. When she was a market development specialist, Boren supported Heil distributors through market research and literature fulfillment.

National Gypsum to recycle drywall waste

National Gypsum Co. will buy drywall waste from new construction sites and incorporate the material into the manufacture of new wallboard.

Beginning this fall, the waste will be reclaimed from construction sites in Massachusetts and New Hampshire by Gypsum Recycling International of Denmark and sent to National Gypsum´s plant in Portsmouth, New Hamshire.

“By reprocessing the material, National Gypsum will divert waste wallboard, which would otherwise have been sent to landfills, into a productive and environmentally friendly use,” said Jerry Carroll, senior vice president at National Gypsum.

National Gypsum said the program could later expand throughout the Northeast.

ISRI appoints three new staffer members

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries appointed three new staff members in the areas of federal and state advocacy, compliance and safety.

Eric Harris will serve as director of governmental and international affairs, with responsibility for ISRI´s Clean Air Act program and working on international issues and with members on transportation issues. Jonathan Levy was appointed assistant director of legislative and regulatory analysis. Anne Marie Horvath will fill a newly created position, safety consulting program coordinator, assisting members with a wide range of scrap yard safety issues.

ISRI represents more than 1,200 companies that process, broker and consume scrap commodities.

Kaiser Aluminum elects new council and treasurer

Houston, TX— Kaiser Aluminum announced that its board of directors has elected John M. Donnan, as vice president, secretary and general counsel, and Daniel J. Rinkenberger, as vice president and treasurer.

Donnan succeeds Edward F. Houff, who will remain as senior vice president and chief restructuring officer. Houff now will focus exclusively on completing the company’s restructuring and emergence from Chapter 11. Rinkenberger assumes the treasurer position from Kerry A. Shiba.

Halloran joins CMC’s Secondary Metals Division

Irving, TX— Alan Postel, president of Commercial Metals Company’s Secondary Metals Processing Division (SMPD), headquartered in Irving, announced the naming of Brian Halloran as vice president - International Development for the Division. In this new position, Brian will be responsible for exploring potential recycling related opportunities outside the U.S. for SMPD and will report directly to Postel. In addition, Brian will also continue as red metals manager and in that capacity will report to Bob Melendi, vice president of marketing for SMPD.

Halloran was previously employed as an international scrap metals trader with The David J. Joseph Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he traded copper, aluminum and brass scrap in both domestic and international markets. He began his career with CMC as a red metals trader in June 1998 and was promoted to manager in June 2002.

ARCA’s private placement of stock raises $3.1 million

Appliance Recycling Centers of America Inc. has raised $3.1 million through the private placement of more than a million shares of common stock.

The Minneapolis appliance recycler announced January 3 that it has completed the placement of 1,150,000 shares of common stock, priced at $3 per share. The private placement brings the company´s fully diluted shares outstanding to about 4 million. ARCA said it will use the funds to open additional ApplianceSmart factory outlets and for general corporate purposes.

Haeck appointed to the board of Bayou Steel

LaPlace, LA— The board of directors of Bayou Steel Corporation announced the appointment of James F. Haeck to the board of directors.

Haeck is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh. During his nearly thirty-five years in the metals industry, he served in various financial, commercial and operational management roles including thirty-two years at LTV Steel where he served as executive vice president and a member of the management executive committee (1998-2001). Mr. Haeck is currently vice president of sales and marketing for Universal Steel Company.

Bayou Steel Corporation manufactures light structural and merchant bar products in LaPlace, Louisiana and Harriman, Tennessee.

PALFINGER North America appoints sales manager

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada— It was announced that Bill Boner would become the new eastern sales manager for PALFINGER Articulating Cranes for Eastern United States and Canada. Bill’s region of responsibility is for all U.S. states, east of the Mississippi River and the four Eastern Canadian Provinces.

Bill Boner joins PALFINGER with more than 15 years experience in the area of articulating cranes, truck-mounted equipment and hydraulics.

Peterbilt ranked highest in customer satisfaction

Denton, TX— Peterbilt Motors Company is the highest ranked manufacturer in the 2004 J.D. Power and Associates Medium Duty Truck Customer Satisfaction Study in the conventional medium duty truck segment. It is the fourth time in six years the company has held the top ranking.

Six product categories make up the overall satisfaction score. Peterbilt led in five: Vehicle Quality; Vehicle Engine; Ride, Handling and Braking; Vehicle Cab Interior; and Exterior Design and Styling. The study noted that the Vehicle Quality category, in which Peterbilt scored highest, is the most influential aspect of customer satisfaction.

The J.D. Power and Associates study is based on interviews with more than 1,500 owner-operators and fleet managers of two-year-old medium duty trucks.

Parviz Farsangi appointed by Noranda and Century

Toronto— Noranda Aluminum Inc. and Century Aluminum Company announced today the appointment of Parviz Farsangi as president and general manager of jointly-owned Gramercy Alumina, LLC and St. Ann Bauxite, Ltd.

Mr. Farsangi will report to the board of managers of Gramercy Alumina and St. Ann Bauxite. He will be responsible for the operation of both sites.

Previously, Mr. Farsangi was general manager of Falconbridge Limited’s Sudbury Mines/Mill business unit where he led the management team and implemented strategies to achieve profitable and environmentally responsible results.

Noranda and Century completed the acquisition of the Gramercy alumina plant in Gramercy, Louisiana, and related bauxite assets in Jamaica from Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. in October 2004.

Tom Ehrhardt retires from American Baler Company

Bellevue, OH— Tom Ehrhardt, a long-time veteran of the recycling industry, is retiring after 30 years of service. He began his career with US Steel as a design engineer after graduating from University of Miami. After more than 15 years with a recycling equipment manufacturer, Tom became the first midwest regional sales manager hired by American Baler. For five years, Tom worked with customers, dealers and prospects often consulting or training and always building strong relationships.

Schnitzer Steel reports boost in profits

Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc. reported a sharp increase in profit in its latest quarter due to strong worldwide consumption of recycled metal and finished products.

The company posted net income of $42.9 million, or $1.38 per diluted share, on revenue of $199 million for the third quarter ended November 30. In comparison, it had net income of $12.2 million, or 39 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $128.4 million for the quarter ended November 30, 2003.

“I am very pleased with Schnitzer Steel’s excellent first quarter financial performance,” said Robert W. Philip, chairman and CEO. “What is pleasing is that the market fundamentals remain healthy, which should bode well for our businesses in the quarters to come.”

Joseph Koncelik named director of Ohio EPA

Ohio— Ohio Governor Bob Taft has appointed a new director for the state Environmental Protection Agency, pending Ohio Senate confirmation.

On December 30, Taft named Joseph Koncelik as the new director effective January 7, following the resignation of Director Christopher Jones.

Koncelik has been the agency’s assistant director and chief legal counsel for four years.

“I’m pleased to have a professional of Joe Koncelik´s caliber as head of the Ohio EPA as we face the difficult challenges of meeting clean air standards, restoring the Great Lakes and tackling other pressing environmental issues,” Taft said.

Before joining the Ohio EPA, Koncelik worked in the environmental enforcement section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Alcoa announces executive appointments

New York— Alcoa Inc. announced several executive appointments as part of its continuing effort to better serve their markets and customers globally.

Effective immediately, Robert S. Wetherbee, has been named president of Alcoa’s Rigid Packaging business based in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Executive appointments were also made in the aerospace, automotive and commercial transportation area. Raymond B. Mitchell, became president of Howmet Castings and Aerospace Forgings.

Kevin Kramer, is now president of Alcoa Wheel Products, responsible for both Alcoa’s forged and cast wheel products businesses that supply the commercial vehicle and automotive markets globally. Kramer had been president of Cast Auto Wheels.

January 1, 2005, Regina Hitchery, joined Alcoa as vice president, Human Resources. She will be based in New York City.

In addition, effective January 1, 2005, Christine Breves, was named to the newly created position of chief procurement officer.

BFI Canada buys Ontario’s Ridge landfill

Ontario— BFI Canada completed the purchase of the Ridge landfill in Chatham, Ontario, from Waste Management Inc., a move that adds 748,000 tons of annual permitted disposal capacity to the acquiring company.

BFI Canada is paying $110 million Canadian for the landfill, which is about $90 million U.S. according to an exchange rate on January 4, 2005.

WCA Waste acquires Missouri waste operation

Houston-based WCA Waste Corp. completed the acquisition of Gecko Investments LLC, which included the Eagle Ridge landfill and a collection company with 1,750 customers about 50 miles northwest of St. Louis.

The landfill, in Bowling Green, Missouri, has 50 permitted acres and 18 years of life at current volumes, WCA Waste said.

“WCA is excited about increasing our presence in the state of Missouri with the acquisition of Gecko and Eagle Ridge,” said Tom J. Fatjo Jr., chairman and CEO.