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Ipsco Employees Provide Hurricane Relief in Alabama

10/20/2004 - Ipsco and its employees have contributed close to $60,000 to support those in Alabama most affected by Hurricane Ivan.

Ipsco and its employees have contributed close to $60,000 to support those in Alabama most affected by Hurricane Ivan.

Relief supplies sent to the Mobile Steelworks from other parts of the company and from one special customer, were used to alleviate many of the difficulties faced by employees and local residents recovering from the storm.

Mobile employees and the company jointly collected an additional $30,000 to be donated to The Hurricane Ivan Response Fund.

Volunteer employees spent many hours assisting families in the region to remove debris from their neighborhood. Ipsco also provided potable water to those who required it during the initial aftermath of the storm.

In addition, Ipsco is currently working with local businesses and community leaders to develop an emergency preparedness plan to respond to future hurricanes or a similar disaster.

In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, Ipsco employees across North America made personal contributions totaling nearly $15,000 to directly assist their co-workers at the Mobile Steelworks. The company also matched every donation for an equal amount.

Mobile employees and the company announced they have jointly collected an additional $30,000 to be donated to The Hurricane Ivan Response Fund, a partnership between the Community Foundation of South Alabama and the United Way of Southwest Alabama. This Fund was established to support local agencies in southern Alabama who are playing critical roles in the disaster relief effort.

Hurricane Ivan inflicted tremendous destruction on September 16, when it reached landfall in Alabama. Fortunately, Ipsco's steelmaking facility and the majority of its employees were spared the full effect of the storm.

Ipsco Steel (Alabama) Inc. President Paul Wilson says employees at his site were overwhelmed by the generosity of their co-workers and in return, were happy to contribute to a fund designed to help their neighbors in the Mobile area. "Many employees here like the idea that every penny donated will be allocated for front-line disaster relief and recovery needs being met by United Way agencies and other non-profits engaged in disaster response," he said.

Ipsco is a North American steel producer incorporated in 1956. Growing from a small pipemaker in Regina, Sask., the company now has facilities in both Canada and the United States and offers a wide range of high strength steel and pipe products.