May 5, 2006 — AK Steel Corp. has received a Gold World Excellence Award from Ford Motor Co. for excellence in quality, cost and delivery in 2005.

AK Steel was one of only two U.S. facilities, and one of only 13 global gold-level recipients to receive World Excellence Awards, presented by Ford for exemplary performance in 2005. The Gold Award is the highest level of Ford's World Excellence Awards.

"Our World Excellence Award-winning suppliers are integral in our ability to address the needs of our customers today and tomorrow," said Tony Brown, Ford's Senior Vice President of Global Purchasing. "We are grateful for their ceaseless concentration on delivering value."

AK Steel was the only steel company among the 60 companies presented awards by Ford for 2005 performance. According to Ford, a Gold Award signifies excellence in all three of its target areas — quality, cost and delivery. AK Steel last earned a Ford World Excellence Award for its performance in 2001.

"We can receive no higher honor than to be recognized by our customers for those tenets of our relationship we mutually hold in the highest regard — quality, delivery and cost," said James L. Wainscott, Chairman, President and CEO of AK Steel. "Regaining this recognition is a testament to the work of our entire organization, but in particular to the men and women whose jobs are dedicated to customer service every single day."

AK Steel supplies Ford Motor Co. with a wide range of carbon cold-rolled, coated and stainless flat-rolled steel products for some of the automaker's most popular vehicles, including the Explorer and the Focus.

Headquartered in Middletown, Ohio, AK Steel produces flat-rolled carbon, stainless and electrical steel products for automotive, appliance, construction and manufacturing markets, as well as tubular steel products.