New Leadership for Specialty Steel Industry Association

Douglas A. Kittenbrink, an executive with Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) in Pittsburgh, has been named chairman of the Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA). Kittenbrink succeeds Dr. Jack W. Shilling as chairman of SSINA. Dr. Shilling retires from ATI on March 31.

Dr. Sunil Widge of Carpenter Technology Corporation in Wyomissing, Pa., will become SSINA's vice chairman. Kittenbrink and Dr. Widge bring more than 50 years of combined specialty metals industry experience to SSINA, the association that represents the major North American producers of specialty steel.

Kittenbrink became executive vice president, Corporate Planning and International Business Development on March 1, 2007. He leads ATI's commercial activities in Asia and Europe. Also reporting to him are ATI's joint ventures STAL (Precision Rolled Strip products) and Uniti Titanium (industrial titanium products). Additionally, Kittenbrink leads the company's relationship with the USW, has involvement with the ATI Business System, and has direct input into ATI's capital projects.

Previously, Kittenbrink was executive vice president, ATI Business System and Group President, Engineered Products Segment. Prior to that, he was chief operating officer of Allegheny Technologies. Kittenbrink joined Allegheny Technologies in 1992 as VP of engineering for Allegheny Ludlum and has been given increasing levels of responsibility during his career.

Kittenbrink is a member of the board of directors of Uniti Titanium, a joint venture between Allegheny Technologies and VSMPO-AVISMA. He is also a member of the board of directors of STAL, a joint venture between Allegheny Technologies and Bao Steel, which manufactures and markets Precision Rolled Strip products. He is a past member of the board of directors of the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers having served as chairman of the Project Management Division in 1995. He is a 1977 graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and graduated from the University of Chicago with an MBA in 1982.

Widge was named vice president of business development and chief technology officer, Specialty Alloys Operations in October 2005. He began his career at Carpenter Technology in 1976 as an assistant metallurgist and since that time has led various departments within Carpenter, including R&D, Technology and Quality, and Forge Bar and Billet business.

Allegheny Technologies one of the largest and most diversified specialty metals producers in the world with revenues of $4.9 billion during 2006. ATI has approximately 9,500 full-time employees worldwide who use innovative technologies to offer growing global markets a wide range of specialty metals solutions. Its major markets are aerospace and defense, chemical process industry/oil and gas, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliance, machine and cutting tools, and construction and mining.

Carpenter Technology Corporation, based in Wyomissing, Pa., is an international manufacturer and distributor of specialty alloys and engineered products made from metallic and ceramic materials. Founded in 1889, the company produces ultra-high-strength, high-temperature, magnetic, controlled-expansion and other high-performance alloys, as well as stainless, bearing and tool and die steels. In addition, Carpenter manufactures titanium products, loose and consolidated powder metallurgy alloys, and technical, industrial and structural ceramics for use in severe wear and corrosion applications.

SSINA is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing virtually all continental specialty metals producers. Specialty metals are high technology, high value stainless and other specialty alloy products. The association's Web site can be found at http://www.ssina.com/.

SSINA member companies are: AK Steel Corporation, Middletown, Ohio; ATI Allegheny Ludlum Corporation, Pittsburgh, and ATI Allvac, Monroe, N.C. (both Allegheny Technologies companies); Carpenter Technology Corporation, Reading, Pa.; Crucible Specialty Metals, Syracuse, N.Y.; Electralloy, Oil City, Pa.; Haynes International Inc., Kokomo, Ind.; ThyssenKrupp Mexinox SA de CV, San Luis Potosi, S.L.P., Mexico; North American Stainless, Ghent, Ky.; Outokumpu Stainless Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.; Precision Rolled Products Inc., Florham Park, N.J.; Special Metals Corporation, Huntington, W.Va.; Timken Latrobe Steel, Latrobe, Pa.; Universal Stainless and Alloy Products, Bridgeville, Pa.; and Valbruna Slater Stainless Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind.