TMK IPSCO Announces New ULTRA Premium Connections Production Facility in the Marcellus Shale Region

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Steel tubular manufacturer TMK IPSCO announced today that it has signed a lease on a building in Brookfield, Ohio where it will install new equipment which will further expand the threading capacity of its ULTRA Premium Connections product line. The new facility will be capable of manufacturing both premium connections and API connections and will support TMK IPSCO's growing market share in the Marcellus Shale gas plays, where ULTRA has been one of the first manufacturers to make premium connection sales.

The facility, which should begin operations during the second quarter of this year, will have an annual manufacturing capacity of up to 100,000 tons of threaded pipe. Initial employment will be approximately 50 people, with long term employment levels expected to reach 120. The Brookfield site is near Youngstown, Ohio, approximately 40 miles northwest of TMK IPSCO's existing steel mill in Koppel, Pennsylvania. Piotr Galitzine, TMK IPSCO's Chairman, commented, "The Brookfield, Ohio, facility was chosen in part because of the location, local industrial infrastructure, the economics and the support of local and State governments, the business development authorities and local Chamber of Commerce."

In announcing this new manufacturing facility, Vicki Avril, TMK IPSCO's President and CEO said, "As a company, we go where our customers need us and the Brookfield, Ohio facility is in direct response to the growing need for infrastructure within the Marcellus Shale and for full service premium and API threading field service and threaded accessories to be located in close proximity to our customers' well-sites."

Scott Barnes, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, added, "TMK IPSCO has seen remarkable growth in its ULTRA Premium Connection product line and has become one of the largest manufacturers of premium connections in North America. As a Company, TMK IPSCO has made a commitment to grow with its customer base.  The Brookfield, Ohio facility is one more step in that growth. Our investment is not only in new facilities and expanded capacity it is also in new and innovative products.  Each shale play we enter is unique in its requirements, and, with the opening of the new Brookfield facility, TMK IPSCO will introduce new products that are specifically designed for the drilling activity taking place within the Marcellus Shale."

TMK IPSCO operates in North America as a division of TMK, the largest pipe producer in Russia and one of the three global market leaders.  TMK IPSCO is a leading producer of energy tubulars.  It operates one steel mill and nine pipe mills and product finishing facilities in seven states across the United States.  TMK IPSCO's pipe mills produce a wide range of seamless and welded energy tubular products including oil & gas well casing and tubing, line pipe, drill pipe, standard pipe and hollow structural sections.  TMK IPSCO also manufactures premium connections for oil and natural gas drilling and production under the ULTRA brand name.

TMK IPSCO Manufacturing Plants

Ambridge, Pennsylvania

Baytown, Texas

Blytheville, Arkansas

Camanche, Iowa

Catoosa, Oklahoma

Geneva, Nebraska

Houston, Texas

Koppel, Pennsylvania

Odessa, Texas

Wilder, Kentucky

TMK (LSE: TMKS) is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of steel pipes for the oil and gas industry.  The company operates 21 production sites in Russia, the United States, Romania, and Kazakhstan. In 2009, TMK shipped 2.8 million tonnes of pipe products and supplied companies in more than 65 countries.

For further information about TMK IPSCO, including ULTRA Premium Connections, please visit our web site at www.tmk-ipsco.com.

SOURCE TMK IPSCO