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November 2004

Transformer Reinstalled and Operating at Commercial Metals' Texas Minimill

Irving, TX— Commercial Metals Company announced that Structural Metals, Inc., its steel minimill located in Seguin, Texas, has completed reinstallation of its repaired primary electric arc furnace transformer. The melt shop is in full production.

SMI Texas’ melt shop production had been curtailed compared to prior production levels when this primary transformer and a spare failed in early June. A second replacement enabled the melt shop to operate at reduced capacity during the approximate four-month period. CMC maintains business interruption insurance, which should cover a substantial portion of the reduction in profitability at SMI Texas as a result of the production curtailment.