ArcelorMittal to buy Venezuelan pipe manufacturer

RP news wires, Noria Corporation

ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel company, has announced that it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Unicon, the leading manufacturer of welded steel pipes in Venezuela. The purchase forms part of ArcelorMittal's strategy to strengthen its welded steel pipes business in South America.

Unicon supplies the Oil & Gas and Industrial & Construction sectors both domestically and overseas. Total shipments for the year ending March 2007 were 552,000 tonnes.

Unicon employs 2,445 people across six pipe making facilities in Venezuela.

Aditya Mittal, CFO and Member of the ArcelorMittal Group Management Board, commented: Unicon is an excellent company, commanding a leading position in Venezuela. This highly complementary acquisition will help us expand our position in the fast growing Americas market."

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Once the transaction closes, ArcelorMittal will disclose further relevant information.

ArcelorMittal is the world's No. 1 steel company, with 320,000 employees in more than 60 countries. The company brings together the world's No. 1 and No. 2 steel companies, Arcelor and Mittal Steel.

ArcelorMittal is the leader in all major global markets, including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with leading R&D and technology, as well as sizeable captive supplies of raw materials and outstanding distribution networks. An industrial presence in 27 European, Asian, African and American countries exposes the company to all the key steel markets, from emerging to mature, positions it will be looking to develop in the high-growth Chinese and Indian markets.

ArcelorMittal key pro forma financials for 2006 show combined revenues of USD 88.6 billion, with a crude steel production of 118 million tonnes, representing around 10 percent of world steel output.