Mark Essig to lead Shale-Inland Fabrication & Distribution Services

HOUSTON, Oct. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Shale-Inland today announced the appointment of industry veteran Mark G. Essig to the position of President – Fabrication & Distribution Services (F&DS).   Essig has had more than 25 years of success in the industry, having held executive roles at Washington Steel Corp., AK Steel Corp and, most recently, as CEO of RathGibson LLC.  The Fabrication & Distribution Services business of Shale-Inland is comprised of Main Steel Polishing Co. and Shale-Inland Stamping & Fabricating.

Essig commented, "Joining the team at Shale-Inland and working with the professionals at Main Steel and Shale-Inland Stamping & Fabricating is an exciting opportunity. I'm joining a company with an exceptional customer base that sets the bar for product quality in the industry."  "It's a pleasure to welcome Mark to our management team," said Craig T. Bouchard, Chief Executive Officer of Shale-Inland. "It is managers and leaders like Mark that have allowed us to build a powerful and diversified industrial supply business serving approximately 7,500 customers on four continents."

"We are thrilled to have someone of Mark's caliber join our team," said Robin Esterson, Managing Director at TowerBrook Capital Partners.  "We consider ourselves fortunate to add his experience to the already strong management team at Shale-Inland." 

 The Shale-Inland F&DS businesses are leaders in their respective markets.

• Main Steel Polishing Co. is a North American distributor of stainless, aluminum, and carbon steel products to its customers. As an important link in the fragmented network of mills and end users, Main Steel provides supply chain solutions including specialized finishing, cut-to-length, slitting, polishing and other services nationwide.  For over a half-century, Main Steel has been a premier source for value-added processing and surface preparation, and a leading provider of film for metal protection needs.
   
• Shale-Inland Stamping & Fabricating provides stamping, fabrication and assembly requirements throughout the value chain. It is a tier 1 supplier to the US auto, trailer, and food equipment markets.

About Shale-Inland
Shale-Inland is a leading specialty industrial distributor of pipe, valves, fittings and related products and provider of technical solutions to the energy and industrial sectors. We operate 47 strategically located branches throughout North America in close proximity to our customers and act as a critical link in our customers' supply chain. We market and sell our products through 12 distinct and targeted brands. For more information, visit www.shale-inland.com.

About TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P.
TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P. is an investment management firm with approximately $4.5 billion of capital under management.  With offices in New York, London and San Francisco, the firm focuses on making investments in North American and European companies. TowerBrook primarily pursues control-oriented private equity investments in large and middle market companies, partnering with highly capable management teams. For more information, visit www.towerbrook.com.

About The Stephens Group, LLC 
The Stephens Group, LLC, is a private, family-owned firm investing in private and public companies with exceptional management teams in growing industries. For more than 70 years, our family has partnered with talented managers, entrepreneurs and chief executive officers to help them achieve their strategic visions and build long-term value. Today, we provide a select, yet diverse group of companies with an independent source of capital, unbiased advice and access to our extensive network of business contacts.

SOURCE Shale-Inland