Facts about SSAB

FACTS ABOUT SSAB

The Group
SSAB is a Swedish based publicly traded corporation with a leading European position in high strength plate and sheet. The group comprises two divisions and two subsidiaries: Sheet Division and Heavy Plate Division are the steel businesses, Plannja is a processing company, and Tibnor is the group's trading arm. The company has built up strong brand names such as HARDOX, WELDOX and DOMEX, well known for their strong properties and quality.

Market Position and Strategy
Today, the core niche products account for over one-third of the deliveries from the steel operations and are sold throughout the world. Over 90 percent of the volume of core niche products is sold outside Sweden. SSAB’s Board of Directors has adopted a three-year plan of action, SSAB 2010, the aim of which is to increase the Group's profitability and growth. The plan comprises three main areas:

• To accelerate growth in current niches.
• To increase profitability at current plants.
• To strengthen and enhance the efficiency of the Group's organization.

Within quenched steels, the aim is to strengthen further SSAB’s global niche leadership. Sales in excess of 1 million tonnes are considered to be reasonable over a five-year horizon, i.e. a doubling of the level of 2005. Within the sheet business, the current focus on extra and ultra high-strength sheet will continue.

Divisions and Subsidiaries
The Steel Sheet Division is the largest Nordic manufacturer of steel sheet, and one of the leading European suppliers of high strength steel sheet. High strength steels are used in applications such as the heavy automotive industry, in crane manufacture and for structural components of containers.
 
The Heavy Plate Division is one of the world's leading producers of quenched steel. Quenched steel are used in applications that require a combination of very high strength with good weld ability or abrasion resistance. Quenched steels are sold all over the world, and typical applications include contracting machinery and mining equipment. SSAB does not currently have any quenched production facilities in North or South America.

Tibnor is the leading supplier in the Swedish steel trade and provides an important Swedish sales outlet for products from the group's steel operations.
 
Plannja is one of Europe's leading suppliers of sheet steel building products and focuses primarily on the Nordic and Baltic markets. The product range comprises flat and profiled steel sheet, roof cladding and guttering products, as well as sandwich wall panels. Plannja's marketing and sales activities are aimed at contractors, sheet metal fabricators and the consumer market.
 
Financials

• The number of employees are 8,400 in over 40 countries and a worldwide sales presence.
• Sales during 2006 was SEK 31,054 (27,804) million.
• Profit after tax amounted to SEK 4,341 (4,068) million, equal to earnings per share of SEK 16.02 (14.07) in 2006.
• Deliveries of extra and ultra high-strength sheet as well as quenched steels increased during 2006 by 24 percent.

SSAB has been listed on the Nordic Exchange since 1989 and is on the list of the most heavily traded shares. Shareholders include Swedish and international institutions and private investors.

History
SSAB was formed in 1978 through the merger of three steelworks: Domnarvets Järnverk in Borlänge, Oxelösunds Järnverk, and Norrbottens Järnverk in Luleå. At the time of the formation of SSAB in 1978, it was a merger of three steel companies that were in deep crisis.

The subsidiary, Plannja, was created in 1977 as a part of Norrbottens Järnverk, and in 1979 Tibnor was purchased in order to strengthen the steel operations’ position on the Swedish market.

During the period 1978 to 1981, an extensive restructuring programme was carried out and the work resulted in a profitable commercial steels company with a broad product portfolio, focusing on the Scandinavian domestic market.

In 1989, SSAB’s shares were listed on the Nordic Exchange and in 1994 the State relinquished its ownership stake entirely.

During the 1990s, the steel operations were developed increasingly into a niche player focusing on quenched steels within the plate area and extreme high-strength sheet products.

Group management
President and CEO – Olof Faxander
Chief Financial Officer – Martin Lindqvist
General Counsel for SSAB – Jonas Bergstrand
Head of Division Steel Sheet – Göran Carlsson
Head of Division Heavy Plate – Ola Hägglund
HR Director – Anna Vikström Persson

Contact:
SSAB Group office   
Birger Jarlsgatan 58   
Box 26208
SE-100 40 Stockholm  
Phone: + 46 8 45 45 700   

Heavy Plate Division   
SE-613 80 Oxelösund   
Phone: + 46 155 25 40 00   

Sheet Division
SE-781 84 Borlänge
Phone: + 46 243 700 00

Tibnor AB
Box 4260, SE-102 66 Stockholm
Phone: Int + 46 8-702 40 00
Fax: Int + 46 8-702 23 55

Plannja AB
Västra Vakten
SE-971 88 Luleå
Phone: + 46 920 92 900

Historia
SSAB bildades 1978 genom en sammanslagning av tre stålverk: Domnarvets Järnverk i Borlänge, Oxelösunds Järnverk och Norrbottens Järnverk i Luleå. Vid bildandet av SSAB 1978 var det en sammanslagning av tre stålföretag i djup kris.

Dotterbolaget Plannja skapades 1977 som en del av Norrbottens Järnverk och 1979 köptes Tibnor för att förstärka stålrörelsens position på den svenska marknaden.

Perioden 1978 till 1981 genomfördes ett omfattande omstruktureringsarbete och ur det arbetet skapades ett lönsamt handelsstålsföretag med en bred produktportfölj och med fokus på den skandinaviska hemmamarknaden. År 1989 noterades SSAB:s aktier på den Nordiska börsen och statens ägande avvecklades helt 1994.

Under 1990-talet utvecklades stålrörelsen alltmer till en nischaktör med fokus på kylda stål inom grovplåtsområdet och på extremt höghållfasta tunnplåtsprodukter. Idag är SSAB ett av världens mest lönsamma stålföretag.

Koncernledning
VD och koncernchef – Olof Faxander
Ekonomi- och finansdirektör – Martin Lindqvist
Chefjurist – Jonas Bergstrand
Chef för Division Tunnplåt – Göran Carlsson
Chef för Division Oxelösund – Ola Hägglund/Olof Faxander
Personaldirektör – Anna Vikström Persson

Kontakt:
SSAB Koncernkontor   
Birger Jarlsgatan 58   
Box 26208
SE-100 40 Stockholm  
Telefon: 08-45 45 700   

Division Grovplåt   
SE-613 80 Oxelösund   
Telefon: 0155-25 40 00    

Division Tunnplåt
SE-781 84 Borlänge
Telefon: 0243-700 00

Plannja AB
Västra Vakten
971 88 Luleå
Telefon: 0920-92 900

Tibnor AB
Box 4260, SE-102 66 Stockholm
Phone: Int + 46 8-702 40 00
Fax: Int + 46 8-702 23 55