Second Italian plant inaugurated

ThyssenKrupp Tailored Blanks GmbH, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Stahl, has further expanded its international activities: in mid-October, a new plant was inaugurated in the southern Italian town of Tito Scalo to produce laser-welded tailored blanks for the auto industry. This is the company`s second Italian site, adding to the facility in San Gillio near Turin.

ThyssenKrupp Tailored Blanks S.r.I. has invested some 4 million euros in the first phase of the plant - a production shop housing two laser welding lines - in Tito Scalo near Naples. The facility will produce blanks for Fiat Auto in Melfi, Fiat`s suppliers, as well as Renault and Ford in Turkey, where they will be formed into side members, floor panels, door inner panels, side panels and tailgates. "In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004 we expect an output of 1.5 million tailored blanks and sales of 9 million euros at the new plant," predicts Dr. Jens Overrath, Managing Director of ThyssenKrupp Tailored Blanks S.r.I. Tito Scalo currently has around 30 employees working in three shifts. A third laser welding line is due to be added in fiscal 2004/2005.

Current forecasts show that the market needs additional capacities. Although this year the focus of production expansion has been in Germany, in previous years ThyssenKrupp Tailored Blanks GmbH has made moves to ensure it is well placed on the international markets as well, with activities in China, Mexico, the USA, Brazil and Italy. The company plans to expand its worldwide output of tailored blanks from 37 million in 2002 to 64 million in 2007.

Contact:
ThyssenKrupp Steel AG
Erwin Schneider
Tel.: +49 203 / 52 - 2 56 90
Fax: +49 203 / 52 - 2 57 07
e-mail: erwin.schneider@tks.thyssenkrupp.com

Dietmar Stamm
Tel.: +49 203 / 52 - 2 62 67
Fax: +49 203 / 52 - 2 57 07
e-mail: dietmar.stamm@tks.thyssenkrupp.com