Whirlpool Corp. and Ispat Inland Inc. have reached a confidential agreement staying the litigation involving the two companies for 45 days while securing Whirlpool's steel supply and allowing the temporary restraining order against Ispat to be dissolved.

Ispat Inland Inc. is a subsidiary of Ispat International NV, one of the leading steel companies in the world, with steelmaking facilities in six countries and shipments of 15.2 million tonnes in 2003. Ispat Inland manufactures a broad range of semifinished and finished flat and bar steel products and is one of North America's lowest-cost integrated steel producers.

In addition to Ispat Inland in East Chicago, Ind., Ispat International has major steelmaking facilities in Canada, Mexico, Trinidad, France and Germany. Ispat International is a member of the LNM Group, the world's second-largest and most global steel group, which also operates in Algeria, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania and South Africa.

Whirlpool Corp. is a leading international manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of over $12 billion, 68,000 employees, and nearly 50 manufacturing and technology research centers around the globe. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Brastemp, Bauknecht, Consul and other major brand names to consumers in more than 170 countries.