April 3, 2007 — Gerdau Ameristeel Corp. has reached an agreement with the USW at the company's Whitby, Ont., mill.

“The company is pleased that another contract has been completed with the United Steelworkers,” said Jim Rogers, Gerdau Ameristeel's Vice President of Human Resources.

“While there are three remaining negotiations at Calvert City, Ky.; Joliet, Ill., and Sand Springs, Okla., the company continues to work to find common ground to settle remaining agreements at these facilities.”

The new contract is effective February 28, 2007, and expires on February 27, 2010.

Gerdau Ameristeel is the second-largest minimill steel producer in North America with annual manufacturing capacity of over 9.0 million tons of mill finished steel products. Through its vertically integrated network of 17 minimills (including one 50%-owned joint venture minimill), 17 scrap recycling facilities and 51 downstream operations (including seven joint venture fabrication facilities), Gerdau Ameristeel serves customers throughout North America. The company's products are generally sold to steel service centers, to steel fabricators, or directly to original equipment manufacturers for use in a wide variety of industries.