NS Group, Inc. announced that hourly employees of Newport Steel, the company's welded tubular operation located in Kentucky, approved a new four-year labor agreement.

Rene J. Robichaud, President and CEO stated, "The new agreement enables the company to continue to serve our customers well while providing fair improvements in wages and benefits for our employees."

Set to expire in April 2009, the new contract covers approximately 230 hourly employees represented by United Steelworkers Local 1870.

NS Group is a leading producer of tubular products serving the energy industry and certain industrial markets. The company manufactures and markets seamless and welded tubular steel products used in the drilling, exploration and transmission of oil and natural gas.