Press Release
Reappointment of Mr. Hans-Günter Herfurth as Chairman of the Board

Further investment strengthens Saarstahl AG’s locations

In a meeting on 12.12.2002, the supervisory board at Saarstahl AG reappointed Mr. Hans-Günter Herfurth as the Chairman of the Board for Saarstahl AG for the period from 01.01.2003 to 31.12.2004.

In addition, a decision was taken to invest in the rolling mill operating unit in Völklingen in the areas of control platforms and binding machines. The volume of investment amounts to EUR 3 million. This investment represents the consistent continuation of the modernisation process and strengthening of Saarstahl AG’s locations.

In the year 2002 some significant investment in all locations was realized or decided upon, such as, for example, the new construction of the press and manipulator in the forge, the purchase of a rocker bar furnace for the wire rod mill in Neunkirchen and the modernisation of the rocker bar furnace of the wire rod mill in Burbach.

Up till now, Saarstahl AG’s business year 2002 has been defined by an increase in the number of orders received as well as negative influence due to the Americans’ protective tariffs and a price development which has not yet proven satisfactory.

The price increases which have been necessary for rolled products both in the last and for the coming business year are largely based on the significant improvement in demand as well as on the rise in costs for procurement, energy, transport and processing.

In the year 2002, Saarstahl AG reaffirmed its claim to be one of the largest providers of occupational training in the Saarland with more than 250 positions for training and retraining as well as practical training for technical college students.

Decisions to invest either realized or planned, improvements in revenue and the cost development which currently has to be taken into account all mean that the company, with the new image it has had since 01.09.2002, can advance into the new business year with confidence.

Völklingen, 12.12.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
Price increase for bars and wire rod

Saarstahl AG are increasing their prices by between 10 % and 12 % within the context of annual contracts for 2003 for high grade qualities of steel such as bars for die forging and cold extrusion as well as for wire rod in spring steel and cold heading qualities.

There will be further price increases of between 6 % and 8 % within the framework of quarterly settlements for the other drawing qualities and free cutting steels as from 01.01.2003.

The reason behind this decision is the significant improvement in demand as well as the rise in the cost of procurement, energy, transport and processing.

Völklingen, 11.12.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
Price increase for rolled products


Saarstahl AG announces that the prices for wire rod and steel bars (in particular drawing qualities and free-cutting steel) are to be increased by approx. 6% on the European market from 01.10.2002. Further increases are planned for the beginning of 2003.

This decision is based on the considerable increase in demand and the worldwide economic recovery as well as on the increased cost of procurement, energy, transport and processing.

Völklingen, 30.09.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
New investments strengthen Saarstahl AG’s locations

In a meeting on 26.09.2002, the Supervisory Board at Saarstahl AG took the decision to carry out investments amounting to 22 million euros for their locations in Neunkirchen and Burbach.

Approximately 20 million euros are to be invested in the Neunkirchen location for the purchase of a modern rocker bar furnace. This new construction will mean that, in future, it will be possible to meet Saarstahl AG’s customers’ quality requirements more fully. Furthermore, there will be an increase in the furnace output and production at the wire rod mill in Neunkirchen. Further benefits will be achieved in the fulfilment of work safety and environmental regulations.

At the same time, the Supervisory Board took the decision to modernize the rocker bar furnace in the wire rod mill in Burbach. The volume of investment amounts to approximately 2 million euros. The optimization of the facility will mean further improvements in the quality of work processes and products.

For Saarstahl AG, the investments in the two locations, Neunkirchen and Burbach, are a significant contribution towards securing the company’s future.

Völklingen, 26.09.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
Great day for new Saarstahl forging press

As part of the open day for employees on Saturday, September 14th, the new forging press at Saarschmiede GmbH open-die forge in Völklingen is to be officially inaugurated. With this new press, the company will be able to manufacture turbines, generators and ship shafts as well as heavy-duty parts for aviation and space travel with even greater precision in future.

The new press is the most modern large system of its kind in the world. With a force of up to 8500 tons - and therefore 2500 tons more than the former forging press - the system is capable of forming forging blooms of heat resistant steels with great efficiency. Furthermore, it is of an even more stable design than its predecessor. This allows for producton with very tight tolerances and thus increases the quality of the forgings. ´ The rebuilding was not simply carried out with the aim of being able to produce faster in future but so that our parts can be forged more precisely`, says Dr. Dieter Bokelmann, Head of Saarstahl-Schmiede.

A point of special interest is the fact that the open-die forging press has been completely rebuilt. Normally, forges are renovated part by part over a number of years. After being commissioned in 1967, the previous forging press was continually modernized but has now been completely replaced in all its parts by the new forging press - including manipulator - in a single step . This is a 245- ton, electronically controlled robot which can lift parts of up to 80t in weight with one gripper arm alone and guides the steel parts to be forged to the forging press and positions them for processing by lifting, lowering, turning, tilting or moving sideways.

The company has invested a total of eleven million Euros in modernizing the systems. `Thanks to the new quality in production, products such as turbines with a particularly high level of efficiency can be manufactured to meet our customers´ requirements even more exactly. Saarschmiede is at the leading edge worldwide in this field´ Dr. Dieter Bokelmann explains.

State-of-the-art technology and a competent team of employees achieve the highest quality standards and should also ensure that Saarschmiede retains its leading position in future. Therefore, for Saarstahl AG, the investment in the open-die forge is also an important further step towards securing the company’s future.


Völklingen, 16.09.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
Saarstahl points new ways

As from September 2002, Saarstahl AG is presenting itself to the public with a new look. "Thanks to our competence and enthusiasm for innovation we are able to compete on the worldwide market with our qualities of steel. In future, we would like to emphasize this distinction more in the competition with our competitors, said the Chairman of the Board, Hans-Günter Herfurth as he explained the new appearance.

The corporate design is apparent in a consistent line applied throughout the company both internally and externally. The core of the new corporate look is an unmistakable logo in orange and graphite which reflects the new way in which Saarstahl sees itself. Orange portrays dynamicism, emotion, innovation and the central colour of steel during its manufacture. Graphite symbolizes wisdom, competence and experience and stands for steel and technology.

The logo is characterized by a stylized three dimensional image showing the spirals of a wire coil. It represents the continuous casting facility of the new LD-steelmaking plant, a glowing generator shaft and the glowing steel bars directly before the cooling process. At the same time, at second glance it reminds us of a sail. Thus associations such as "being in motion and "making progress are awakened. The dynamic effect of the logo is completed by the words saarstahl printed in modern small letters.

Saarstahl AG has informed its employees und clients of the new look. Saarstahl AG's internet website under www.saarstahl.com has also been appropriately redesigned. Furthermore, the whole company's new look is present on large-format advertising banners and, in future, will also be visible on vehicles, in image advertisements and company brochures.

Together with integral, convincing performance and credible communication, the new image is intended to support and secure the long term success of the company.


Völklingen, 02.09.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
Price increase for rolled products

Saarstahl AG states that the prices for wire rod and steel bars of all grades (in particular drawing qualities, cold heading qualities and free-cutting steel) are to be increased by approx. 6 % on the European market from 01.07.2002 as a first step. Further increases are planned for later in the year.


This decision is based on the significant rise in demand due to stock levels largely having been reduced and the recovery in the global economy. It is also a result of the increased costs of procurement, energy and processing.


In the second quarter of 2002 significantly higher price increases have been achieved in overseas export markets.


Völklingen, 11.06.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
Saarschmiede receives award

Saarschmiede GmbH open die forge, Völklingen, a subsidiary of Saarstahl AG, has received an award from Siemens Power Generation, Berlin, for high performance in the production of forged parts.


Siemens Power Generation in Berlin manufactures gas turbine systems for generating electricity. They were able to double their production volume in the last two years due to the large number of orders. This increase was only possible as a result of the extraordinary reliability with deliveries and the great flexibility on the part of their main suppliers. Saarschmiede made a large contribution towards achieving this aim.


The management at Siemens Power Generation thanked the employees and management of Saarschmiede for this outstanding performance and high level of quality. As a special mark of recognition, the management of Saarschmiede were presented with a model turbine rotor.


Saarschmiede manufactures forged parts with a shipping weight of up to 100t and is active in the fields of mechanical engineering for power, mechanical engineering, special materials and tool steel. With a proportion of exports of approx. 60 %, Saarschmiede is one of the leading companies worldwide in the field of mechanical engineering for power. In 2001, as a result of the high demand and extraordinarily good amount of business, it was possible to increase the turnover by over 16 %. This development is to be continued in the coming years.

This plan is supported by carrying out an increase in productivity levels and by investment measures. In mid-2002, for example, the large hydraulic press at Saarschmiede is to be modernised. At the same time, the press is to receive a new manipulator and a system for programme forging. Once these planned measures have been carried out, Saarschmiede will have one of the most modern and highest performance forging facilities in the world.


Völklingen, 08.04.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Extension of the Board at Saarstahl AG
At a meeting on 13.03.2002, the Supervisory Board of Saarstahl AG appointed Mr Henner Wittling (55) as a Member of the Board and Director of Labour Relations at Saarstahl AG from 01.07.2002.

Mr Henner Wittling was born in Oberlinxweiler/Saar. Since November 1999, he has been working as the State Secretary in the German Ministry for Transport, Construction and Housing in Berlin.


Völklingen, 13.03.2002

Saarstahl AG, Zentralbereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 66330 Völklingen,
Tel.: +49 (0) 6898 10-21 12 oder Fax: +49 (0) 6898 10-40 14
E-Mail: saarstahl@saarstahl.com

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Press Release
Certificate of Environmental Protection for Burbach Plant

Saarstahl AG's environmental management system has been tested for the first time in the Burbach plant and passed. A Certificate of Environmental Protection in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14001 was issued on 28.01.2002 and this confirms that the highest recognized requirements made of an environmental management system have been fulfilled. Certification was carried out by TÜV CERT, the certification body of the technical monitoring authority in the Saarland. Within the framework of a general awareness of active environmental protection, it is also planned to have the other plants in Völklingen and Neunkirchen certified along with the subsidiaries.

The main elements of this international standard are not only to ensure that legal requirements are being met but also that the obligation to make constant improvements in the environmental effects which the company has is being fulfilled.

Our environmental management system, which has now been certified, along with our quality management system, which has also been certified, are additional significant contributors to securing the future of our company in the long term. Thus our company's competitive position on an international level is enhanced and it is confirmed that Saarstahl AG continues to meet the constantly increasing legal requirements with regard to the environment as well as those of our customers.