BUSINESS/ORGANIZATIONAL BRIEFS

Epson Introduces Recycling Program

New Orleans, LA— Epson announced a new program that enables its retail and banking customers to recycle used inkjet cartridges in exchange for free cartridges and upgraded service warranties on inkjet printers. The program also contributes funds to selected schools and charitable organizations. “With this program, Epson aims to make the cost of inkjet cartridges more affordable for our business customers,” said Bud Weist, vice president of sales and marketing, Epson System Device group. “By recycling cartridges, we give back to the community and our customers benefit by lowering their consumables cost. It’s a win-win situation.”

The recycling program is available for Epson’s TM-J7000, TM-J7100, TM-J9000 and TM-J9100 model inkjet printers. Visit pos.epson.com/banking/ to enroll.

Abitibi and Eureka Recycling Team Up

Saint Paul, MN— Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. and Eureka Recycling announced a ten-year agreement whereby a majority of recycled newspapers in Saint Paul will be sold to Abitibi-Consolidated. This private/non-profit partnership guarantees Eureka Recycling a long-term, stable end-market for collected newspapers. In exchange, Abitibi-Consolidated, which recycles over three million tons of paper each year, will receive a steady flow of quality materials for their paper recycling mills throughout North America.

Abitibi-Consolidated will work in collaboration to enhance Saint Paul’s recycling infrastructure, namely Eureka Recycling’s new recycling processing center located midway between the Twin Cities.

Timken Modifies Scrap Surcharge On Steel

Canton, OH— The Timken Company announced that it would change its scrap surcharge mechanism for alloy steel products from No. 1 Heavy Melt to the No. 1 Bundles indicator as reported in American Metal Market.

Using a trigger point of $115 per ton, a scrap surcharge will be calculated monthly based on a three-city average of No. 1 Bundles in Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh as reported by American Metal Market on the fifth working day of each month. This calculation will determine the following months’ surcharge and will be added to the invoice. The new surcharge trigger will be effective with shipments beginning December 1, 2003.

“Rapidly rising costs, particularly in scrap, alloys and energy continue to plague the industry,” said Robert N. Keeler - director - steel sales - North and South America. “This change reflects the reality that bundles are a major driver of scrap prices, and therefore are more commonly recognized by other producers and automotive-related companies as an industry standard. It will also result in a larger and more timely recovery of currently volatile scrap prices.”

Recovery Technologies Group Reorganizes

Guttenberg, NJ— Recovery Technologies Group, Inc. (RTG), tire recycler and producer of crumb rubber, announced the expansion of its production and tire collection activities in Canada and the U.S. The company also announced a plant closure in Maine and a restructuring of its Florida operations.

The company said it was adding ambient crumb rubber production capacity at its facilities in Saskatchewan, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. It addition, the company announced new Canadian tire collection agreements in Prince Edward Island and Ontario as well as expansion of its warehouse network with new facilities in Columbiana, Ohio and Houston, Texas.

RTG will be closing its tire derived fuel plant in Elliott, Maine and is restructuring its tire collection activities in Florida. RTG indicates that this will result in a reduction of 22 of the company’s 550-member workforce.

In fiscal year 2004, RTG will collect approximately 40 million tires and will produce 250 million pounds of cryogenic and ambient crumb rubber that will be recycled into a wide variety of environmentally friendly products including athletic stadium surfaces, road surfaces, playgrounds and other products.

Axcent Wire North Provides Free Hotline

Appleton, WI— Axcent Wire North, LLC, announced the availability of a free hotline service, as well as training classes that cover a variety of topics. The classes focus on: Safety; electrical systems; wire; general operation; preventative maintenance; hands-on rebuild; hydraulic systems, and basic troubleshooting.

For those interested in participating in classes or using the hotline, Axcent Wire is available at 800-320-6880. Other products available from Axcent Wire include baling wire, balers, conveyors, cart dumpers and pneumatic scrap systems.

Roanoke Electric Steel Declares 180th Consecutive Cash Dividend

Roanoke, VA— Roanoke Electric Steel Corporation reported that the 180th consecutive quarterly cash dividend was declared in the amount of 5 cents per share of common stock, payable November 25, 2003, to shareholders of record November 7, 2003.

Roanoke Electric Steel Corporation has steel manufacturing facilities in Roanoke, Virginia and Huntington, West Virginia.

Take It Back! WEST Offers Unique Opportunity

College Park, MD— A three-day corporate recycling policy conference called “Take It Back! WEST” is set for March 1-3, 2004, at the Crowne Plaza Foster City near San Francisco.

“This is the only conference where you will see government recycling people in the same room with corporate environmental managers,” explains organizer Michele Raymond.

Day One, March 1 will include plastics recycling and degradable technologies, and packaging case histories. March 2 will have speakers from around the world providing the latest on recycling policy.

The March 3 morning session will cover global electronics recycling policy and implementation issues, while a concurrent government policy session will provide a forum for policy debates on plastics, marine debris and electronics waste. In the afternoon, the corporate and government track will join for a lively plenary debate on the future of electronics waste policy.

Call Raymond Communications, Inc. at 301 345-4237 or visit www.raymond.com for information. A early bird registration form is on the web site.

ISRI Makes Training Video for Scrap and Waste Haulers Available

Washington, DC— The Risk Management Department of the Institute for Scrap and Recycling Industries (ISRI) has prepared a brief training video to better acquaint haulers of scrap as well as law enforcement officials with new legislation affecting securement and containment of loads effective January 1, 2004.

The tape is available to ISRI members for $9.95 and non-members for $24.95. To order, please contact the Institute for Scrap and Recycling Industries at 202-626-0900.

W.J. Timken, Jr. Elected President of Timken's Steel Group

Canton, OH— The Timken Company board of directors elected W. J. (Tim) Timken, Jr., executive vice president and president - Steel Group.

Mr. Timken, who is currently corporate vice president - office of the chairman, will assume leadership of the Steel Group upon the previously announced retirement of Bill J. Bowling, executive vice president, chief operating officer and president - Steel.