HARDTOP to Start Production at New Company HARDTOP Bimetals (Ningguo) Co., Ltd. in China

At the beginning of 2007 the Joint Venture company HARDTOP Bimetals (Ningguo) Co., Ltd. has been established. The company is situated in the city of Ningguo, southwest of Shanghai in the Anhui Province.

Ningguo is a part of the Yangtze River Delta development zone. The plant is under construction in one of the industrial development zones in Ningguo and shall start its production of compound castings in a 2,200 m² production area in April 2008. The foundry is mainly meant to exclusively supply the Chinese and Far Eastern markets with compound casting products using the well proven HARDTOP® technology. The main market segments to be served will be the power plant and cement industry.