BUSINESS/ORGANIZATIONAL BRIEFS

ARPI wins new product award for wire stripper

DePere, WI— Governor Jim Doyle congratulated 11 recipients of the Governor’s New Product Awards. The awards were made at the 35th annual Governor’s New Product Awards Banquet, held April 13, 2006 at SC Grand’s, DePere, Wisconsin. Department of Commerce Secretary Mary P. Burke presented the awards on behalf of Governor Doyle.

Automated Recycling Products Incorporated (ARPI), of Stoughton, Wisconsin took third place in the Small Company (50 or fewer employees) category. They manufacture a power wire stripper for stripping plastic coated wire.

“These Wisconsin manufacturers contribute to the state’s economic growth through the development, manufacturing and marketing of new and innovative products,” Governor Doyle said.

Nucor announces new chairman and declares 2-for-1 stock split

Charlotte, NC— Nucor Corporation announced that its president and chief executive officer, Daniel R. DiMicco has assumed the additional role of chairman. DiMicco has been with Nucor for 23 years and has served as president, CEO and a member of the board of directors since September 2000. He has served as vice chairman since June 2001.

Nucor’s board of directors has also designated Peter C. Browning, formerly non-executive chairman of the board, as its lead director. Browning has been a director since 1999 and non-executive chairman since September 2000.

Nucor’s board of directors also approved a 2-for-1 stock split that will be effected by issuing one additional share of common stock for each share held by stockholders of record on May 19, 2006. The additional shares will be distributed on or about May 31, 2006. The stock split is intended to broaden interest in Nucor’s common stock and improve its marketability. Nucor’s board of directors believes the stock split is appropriate in view of the company’s strong results and favorable long-term business outlook.

On the record date of the stock split, the board of directors’ prior authorization to repurchase shares of Nucor’s common stock will double to approximately 25.3 million shares.

Cascades acquires assets of Simkins Industries

Kingsey Falls, Québec— Cascades Inc. announced that it has acquired certain assets of the paperboard division of Simkins Industries located in Ridgefield, New Jersey and in New Haven, Connecticut, for $12.5 million (US). The board mill located in Ridgefield, New Jersey will be closed within a short period of time while the mill in New Haven will continue to operate during a transition period the duration of which has yet to be finalized.

Concurrently with the purchase of these assets, Cascades and Simkins entered into a multi-year Supply Agreement for the supply of recycled coated boxboard to Simkins’ folding carton plants.

Simkins Industries is a privately-owned company which manufactures boxboard made of 100% recycled fibers, quality folding cartons and specialty papers.

Smurfit-Stone sells packaging segment

Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell all of the assets of its consumer packaging segment to a company formed by Texas Pacific Group for approximately $1.04 billion in cash. Texas Pacific Group has arranged financing for the transaction, which the parties expect to complete by the end of the second quarter.

The businesses to be sold employ approximately 6,600 employees and include 4 coated recycled boxboard mills, 39 consumer packaging converting operations; and a consumer packaging converting plant in Brampton, Ontario.

ADESA appoints new president and COO

Carmel, IN— ADESA, Inc. chairman and CEO David Gartzke announced that the company’s Board of Directors has appointed Angel Rodolfo Sales as president and chief operating officer.

Sales will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the ADESA, Inc. as the company continues its efforts to operate with a one-company focus and coordinate operations. He has been a member of ADESA Inc.’s Board of Directors since May 2004 and served on its audit committee and corporate governance and nominating committee. Sales will remain on the Board.

Norton Equipment distributes for Harris

Norton Equipment Company, based in Mississippi, is a new Harris equipment distributor for the states of Mississippi, Louisiana and western Tennessee.

The distributorship will include sales and service for all Harris Selco vertical, horizontal and Two-Ram balers, including Centurion/HRB brand balers.

Norton Equipment has twenty years of experience in the waste handling and recycling service industries.

PC Scale earns NTEP Certification

PC Scale has earned the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) certificate for their newest scale house software version. PC Scale software will meet operational, environmental and regulatory requirements.

NTEP certification is necessary to ensure that applicable requirements for commercial weighing and measuring are being met.

Southern Recycling sold to European company

Chicago, IL— Metal Management, Inc. and Southern Holdings announced the sale of Southern Recycling to European Metal Recycling Ltd. (EMR) for $161.4 million in cash.

Headquartered in Covington, Louisiana, Southern Recycling is the largest scrap metal recycler in the Gulf Coast region with 15 facilities in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.

Prior to completion of the transaction, Southern Holdings owned 71.5 percent of Southern Recycling and Metal Management, Inc. owned the remaining 28.5 percent.

Allied Waste announces senior notes offering

Scottsdale, AR— Allied Waste Industries, Inc. (Allied) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Allied Waste North America, Inc. (AWNA), is commencing a tender offer to purchase any and all of its $600 million in aggregate principal amount of outstanding 8 7/8% senior notes due 2008 (2008 Notes) through a cash tender offer (Tender Offer) with the proceeds from a concurrent private placement of $600 million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2016 (Notes Offering).

The senior notes being offered by AWNA in the Notes Offering will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. The senior notes are being offered only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and outside the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Metech International adds new processing line

A new e-scrap processing line at Metech International’s Worcester, Massachusetts facility will provide additional processing capability and capacity.

The new line will enable the company to provide high volume product destruction and material recovery services. The new line, which cost in excess of $1.25 million dollars, is designed to shred and process end-of-life electronic systems into basic metallic and non-metallic constituents.

Baker elected chairman of Ecolab board

St. Paul, MN— The Board of Directors of Ecolab Inc. has elected Douglas M. Baker, Jr., currently president and chief executive officer, to the additional post of chairman of the Board. Baker succeeds Allan L. Schuman, who retired from the board. Schuman was named to the honorary post of chairman emeritus.

Veolia Environmental acquires Belgian company

Veolia Environmental Services has entered the Belgian waste market through the purchase of Severn Trent’s subsidiary, Biffa Belgium.

The deal includes the commercial and domestic waste businesses, the Special Waste Division, including its pre-treatment facility in Antwerp and the gas generation operations in the Walloon region.

Acting administrator named for EPA Region 5

Chicago, IL— United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 named Bharat Mathur as acting regional administrator and acting Great Lakes National Program manager following the recent departure of regional administrator Thomas V. Skinner to return to the private sector. As acting regional administrator, Mathur leads the implementation of federal environmental programs in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

At the time of his appointment, Mathur was serving as deputy regional administrator. He joined EPA in January 2000 as director of the Air and Radiation Division after a lengthy career with the state of Illinois where he managed Illinois EPA offices dealing with air pollution, hazardous and solid waste, and Clean Water Act programs. He has undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering.

Waste Services, Inc. acquires Tampa business

Burlington, ON— Waste Services, Inc. announced May 15 that it has closed the acquisition of Liberty Waste, LLC to expand its operations in the Tampa, Florida market. Liberty Waste is a collection operation based in Tampa with two transfer stations located in Tampa and Clearwater. The transfer stations are both permitted to accept construction and demolition and Class III waste volumes. The company expects to close the previously announced acquisition of Sun Country Materials, LLC when it receives its final unappealable expansion permit.

Envirosafe board approves stock split

Germantown, MD— Envirosafe Corporation announced shareholder and Board approval of a two for one forward split of all issued and outstanding shares.

The ratio of the distribution will be one additional share for every share that is held. The record date is May 5, 2006 and the documentation has been filed with NASDAQ Market Operations.

Varsek Trading Group Inc. now a NEXGEN distributor

Richmond, BC— Varsek Trading Group Inc. was appointed as an authorized distributor for NEXGEN Baling Systems, a division of Marathon Equipment Company. Varsek Trading owner, Peter Varsek, has been in the business of sales and service of recycling equipment and related products since 1993.

Trex announces first quarter 2006 results

Winchester, VA— Trex Company, Inc. announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2006.

Net sales for the first quarter of 2006 totaled $105.3 million, compared to net sales of $89.9 million for the first quarter of 2005, which represented a 17.1% increase. The Company reported net income for the 2006 first quarter of $4.2 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, compared to net income of $8.4 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, for the 2005 first quarter.

Holtz moves to East Manufacturing

Randolph, OH— Mark Holtz joined East Manufacturing as vice president of sales and marketing, announced David Tate, president. In his new position, Holtz will be responsible for all phases of direct- and dealer-based selling activities for East aluminum trailers, parts and aftermarket support, along with managing the marketing efforts of the company.

Prior to joining East, Holtz spent 28 years with Alcoa. For the past five years he was manager of marketing and technology for the Alcoa Commercial Vehicle Wheel business group in Cleveland, Ohio, and is named on Alcoa’s patent for the Dura-Bright® surface treatment process for aluminum wheels. Holtz spent eight years as technical manager for the Alcoa Wheel Products division, and also held various positions in product engineering and technical development management for Alcoa’s forged products business in Cleveland.

R. W. Beck hires Demme as vice president

R. W. Beck, Inc. announced the addition of David C. Demme, P.E. to the firm as a vice president responsible for growing its Water and Waste Resources Practice throughout the northeastern United States.

Demme is a registered professional engineer with 30 years of business development, project management and engineering experience.

Prior to joining the firm, Demme was the alternative delivery systems practice leader at HDR Engineering, an architectural, engineering and consulting firm, where he managed major wastewater treatment, solid waste and water treatment projects. He also worked for Camp Dresser & McKee.