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Straightline Launches Steel Distribution Business in Greater Atlanta; Customers Gain Greater Control With a Mill-Direct Buying ExperiencePRNewswire Straightline Source, a division of United States Steel LLC (NYSE: X), America's largest integrated steel maker, today announced it is open for business statewide in Georgia, and in northern Florida and southeastern Tennessee. These areas join the Carolinas, northeastern Tennessee and Greater Chicago to become premier operating regions for the new steel distribution business. A series of further regional rollouts is slated to continue throughout the United States in 2002. Straightline offers a direct buying option for processed steel products to companies of all sizes that do not typically buy directly from steel producers. Customers can receive instantaneous price quotations and place orders for a variety of carbon flat-roll steel products, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at http://www.straightline.com/, or by phone with knowledgeable customer account managers. Customers can choose to either configure processed products or select from a stock of finished goods. Straightline is able to reduce customers' total cost of material acquisition by offering consistently low pricing and a streamlined process that puts the customer in control. Straightline selected the greater Atlanta area as a primary operating region due to its concentration of steel buyers and its potential for economic growth. "This region is booming with economic development. For example, there are currently $3 billion of projects underway in downtown Atlanta. We plan on making a contribution to the area's overall growth," said Bob Dryburgh, president, Straightline. "We're coming to Atlanta with a business that puts customers in control, giving them more choices and flexibility than the traditional steel-buying process," said Jeff Terrell, district manager for Straightline in Atlanta. "Straightline has built a strong foundation through our comprehensive pilot program and our current operations in the Carolinas and northeastern Tennessee. Customer feedback in these regions has been critical to us -- and has helped us build a business that is changing the way companies buy steel." Straightline manages the entire customer relationship and in doing so takes responsibility for all aspects of the transaction, including order placement, steel sourcing, inventory management, delivery and claims. Furthermore, Straightline offers a simple, easy-to-use web interface, with no complicated technology to learn. Straightline has assembled a network of local partners to hold inventory, perform custom processing and deliver finished goods. Processing partners are selected based on rigorous criteria, including ISO certification. The resulting network of processors has the opportunity to realize unique benefits by working with Straightline, as they increase utilization of their facilities without having to make additional investments in sales, marketing or inventory, thus improving their overall profitability. Initially, Straightline will specialize in distributing carbon flat-roll steel, with plans to offer other materials based on customer demand. In 2002, Straightline will expand regionally throughout the country, and will continue to expand its processor network. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Straightline Source is a division of United States Steel LLC. Straightline specializes in distributing carbon flat-roll steel, offering a variety of hot roll, cold roll and galvanized products to customers of all sizes. These products are available in slit coil, stock sheets and custom cut-to-length sheets. For more information, visit our website at http://www.straightline.com/. Visit USX Corporation's web site at http://www.usx.com/. USX Corporation press releases are available through Company News On-Call at http://www.prnewswire.com/gh/cnoc/comp/929150.htm SOURCE: Straightline Source Contact: Marian Dezelan, +1-412-433-7809 or MLDezelan@straightline.com, Website: http://www.usx.com/ Website: http://www.straightline.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/929150.html |
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