Burlington, Ontario, May 19, 2004 – Laurel Steel is the first North American cold-finisher to receive ISO/TS16949 certification, a standard that will be required of all tier one automotive suppliers (those selling directly to Ford, GM and Daimler Chrysler) by 2006. ISO/TS16949 specifies the quality system requirements for the design/development, production, installation and servicing of automotive-related products.

“As a tier two automotive supplier, Laurel Steel was not technically required to become compliant with ISO/TS16949, said Sandro DeSordi, Quality Assurance Manager, Laurel Steel. “But Laurel Steel has always been committed to quality. We were the first North American cold-finisher to receive ISO 9002 registration and among the first to earn QS 9000 registration so it seems fitting that we were first to achieve ISO/TS16949 as well.”

ISO/TS16949 is not merely a quality standard but also a business standard. Based on QS-9000, ISO TS16969 includes additional, stricter requirements that satisfy the standards of almost all automobile manufacturers around the world.

“Companies who register for ISO/TS16949 certification go through a rigorous examination of every sector of the company and establish solid performance criteria for each,” said Lane Pate, President, Laurel Steel. “Being the first in North America to achieve this certification is a testament to our strong commitment to ongoing employee training, performance tracking and quality measurement.”

Ford, GM, Daimler Chrysler, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault, Fiat, BMW, Daimler Benz and Volkswagen all support ISO/TS 16949. Japanese and Korean manufacturers may also recognize ISO/TS16949:2002 as a valid supplier approval mechanism in the future.

Founded in 1967, Laurel Steel is a member of the prestigious Harris Steel Group and was the winner of the 2003 Burlington Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Award. It has experienced constant growth, including launching its branded products - Cutter's Choice, Cutter's Choice Green, Miner's Choice and Plater's Choice, which are precisely designed to meet the needs of specific industries. The company occupies a 350,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility on a 22-acre site in Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

For more information, contact:

Sandro DeSordi
Laurel Steel
Local: 1-905-681-6811
Toll Free: 1-800-265-6811
Fax: 1-905-634-7888
Email: quality@laurelsteel.com
Web site: www.laurelsteel.com