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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

       
(Mark One)
  x   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2002.
 
      or
 
  o   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to

Commission file number:  333-18019

WCI STEEL, INC.


(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
     
Ohio   34-1585405

 
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
1040 Pine Ave., S.E.,
Warren, Ohio
  44483-6528

 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(330) 841-8302


(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:

     
Title of each class   Name of exchange on which registered

 
None    

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:

     None.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the last 90 days. Note: The Registrant files pursuant to an indenture, but is not otherwise subject to Section 13 or 15(d) filing requirements.    o Yes  x  No

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this form 10-K.   x

The aggregate market value of the voting stock of the registrant held by non-affiliates of the registrant at March 6, 2003 was $0.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
ITEM 7A.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
CONDOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY (DEFICIT)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Note to Consolidated Financial Statements
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
PART III
ITEM 10.  DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
ITEM 11.  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
ITEM 12.  SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
ITEM 13.  CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 14.  DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES AND INTERNAL CONTROLS
ITEM 15.  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT ON FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE
SIGNATURES
Certification
Certification
Exhibit Index
EX-10.2.17 Amendement to Net Worth Appreciation
EX-10.4.17 Amendmt. #3 for Restated Loan 09/13/02
EX-10.4.18 Amendment # 4 dated 02/2003
EX-99.1 Cert. of Principle Financial Officer
EX-99.2 Cert. of Principle Executive Officer


Table of Contents

WCI STEEL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
FORM 10-K
INDEX

               
PART I       Page No.
         
 
  Item 1.   Business     3  
 
  Item 2.   Properties     11  
 
  Item 3.   Legal Proceedings     12  
 
  Item 4.   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders     12  
 
PART II            
 
  Item 5.   Market for Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters     13  
 
  Item 6.   Selected Financial Data     14  
 
  Item 7.   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations     15  
 
  Item 7A   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk     23  
 
  Item 8.   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data     24  
 
  Item 9.   Changes in and disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure     42  
 
PART III            
 
  Item 10.   Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant     43  
 
  Item 11.   Executive Compensation     45  
 
  Item 12.   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management     47  
 
  Item 13.   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions     48  
 
  Item 14.   Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Controls     49  
 
PART IV            
 
  Item 15.   Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedule, and Reports on Form 8-K     50  
 
 
Financial Statement Schedule (including Independent Auditors Report on Financial Statement Schedule)
    51  
 
  Signatures     53  
 
  Exhibit Index     56  

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PART I

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS

General

     WCI Steel, Inc. (WCI or Company), a niche oriented integrated producer of value-added, custom steel products, was incorporated in Ohio in 1988 and commenced operations on September 1, 1988. WCI’s primary facility covers approximately 1,100 acres in Warren, Ohio, with additional facilities owned by subsidiaries located in Niles and Youngstown, Ohio, all of which are situated between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. WCI currently produces approximately 185 grades of flat rolled custom and commodity steel products. Total shipments were 1,281,140 tons in fiscal 2002 and 1,041,209 tons in fiscal 2001. Custom flat rolled products, which include high carbon, alloy, ultra high strength, silicon electrical and heavy gauge galvanize steel, constituted approximately 48.5% of net tons shipped during fiscal 2002 and 51.5% during fiscal 2001 (see “Overview” below for a discussion of custom products). Major users of WCI products are steel converters, steel service centers, construction product companies, electrical equipment manufacturers and, to a lesser extent, automobile and automotive parts manufacturers.

     The Company and the industry continue to face difficult and volatile market conditions. During 2000 and 2001 there was intense downward pressure on steel prices due to the surge of imports into the United States. This resulted in the Company incurring a net loss of $100.8 million in 2001. Order entry rates and steel prices increased significantly during 2002 as a result of significant capacity reductions caused by the closing of a number of steel producers and the effects of the implementation of the Section 201 tariffs. As a result of the increased shipping volume and prices, the Company returned to profitability during the fourth quarter of 2002. However, for the full year of 2002 the Company incurred a net loss of $37.6 million. In addition to incurring significant losses during the last two years, the Company had negative cash flows which have reduced the cash resources available to support its operations.

     Many of the steel companies shut down in the past two years have been restarted by other companies with cost structures significantly lower than WCI’s. This low cost capacity returning to the market coupled with continued high levels of imports and a slowing manufacturing sector has resulted in reduced volume and pricing expectations for the first half of 2003. As a result, the Company expects to incur a net loss for 2003.

     The Company’s liquidity depends on its operating performance and borrowing availability under its revolving credit facility. If market conditions fail to improve adequately, operating losses will continue, and the Company will be unable to meet certain covenants associated with its revolving credit facility. Under these circumstances, if the Company is unable to obtain waivers of covenant violations or secure additional financing sources to fund expected operating losses, it would likely have a material adverse effect on WCI’s operations.

Products

   Overview

     WCI produces a wide range of custom flat rolled steel products, including high carbon, alloy, ultra high strength, silicon electrical and heavy gauge galvanize steel. WCI’s custom products are characterized by small order quantities, specialized chemistries, narrow widths and value added processing, with an emphasis on customer specific quality requirements and delivery performance.

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     WCI’s commodity steel product sales consist principally of hot and cold rolled low carbon sheet steel, other high strength applications and light gauge galvanize products. Export sales were approximately 1.7% of net sales during the last three fiscal years.

     The table below shows the Company’s product mix for the last three years.

                                                   
Net Tons Shipped Percent of Total


Fiscal Year Ended Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, October 31,
2002 2001 2000 2002 2001 2000






CUSTOM PRODUCTS:
                                               
 
Hot Rolled
    407,090       302,389       394,213       31.8 %     29.0 %     31.1 %
 
Cold Rolled
    24,828       19,450       19,929       1.9 %     1.9 %     1.6 %
 
Coated Products
    189,631       214,460       245,969       14.8 %     20.6 %     19.4 %
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
TOTAL CUSTOM PRODUCTS
    621,549       536,299       660,111       48.5 %     51.5 %     52.1 %
Total Commodity Products
    659,591       504,910       605,784       51.5 %     48.5 %     47.9 %
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
Total Steel Products
    1,281,140       1,041,209       1,265,895       100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

     Custom Products

     High Carbon, Alloy, Ultra High Strength —WCI has developed markets for high carbon, alloy and ultra high strength steel products that are sold to strip converters, steel service centers, and automobile and automotive parts manufacturers. Products required by the strip converter customers are characterized by small order quantities, relatively narrow widths and specific metallurgical properties. WCI presently produces over 100 specialized chemistries for these markets.

     WCI’s customers in this sector, in turn, supply end-users which have highly specific product needs requiring the strip converter to order steel with close gauge tolerances, minimal crown profiles, critical surface qualities and, in certain cases, in narrow widths.

     In the high carbon and alloy markets, WCI competes with several other domestic integrated and minimill producers, as well as various steel producers in Canada, Europe and Japan. In the ultra high strength market, WCI competes with several integrated mills.

     Silicon—Silicon electrical steel is sheet steel that exhibits certain electrical or magnetic properties. The magnetic properties of this product permit electric motors to run at high speeds for extended periods of time with greater efficiency while minimizing heat loss.

     The market for silicon electrical sheet steel can be divided into two main segments: grain oriented silicon sheet and non-grain oriented silicon sheet. The distinction between grain and non-grain oriented silicon sheet pertains to the electrical properties of the steel. WCI’s silicon annealing line is designed for production of non-grain oriented silicon sheet and all of WCI’s silicon shipments are in this segment. Presently, there is one domestic competitor in this segment and several foreign competitors. In addition, the Company’s product also has experienced increasing competition from cold-rolled motor laminations produced by several other integrated steelmakers, which have been developed as a substitute product for silicon steel in certain applications. Due to the migration of certain motor manufacturing capability to Mexico and Asia, the market to which the Company can cost effectively supply its product is contracting.

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     Heavy gauge galvanize—Galvanize steel is zinc-coated sheet steel produced on WCI’s hot dipped galvanizing line. The market for galvanize sheet steel is divided into two broad categories: heavy and light gauge steel. Heavy gauge galvanize steel, which is generally hot rolled based, is used in the manufacture of electrical boxes, culvert coil, construction hardware, HVAC components and automotive stampings, as well as many other end uses.

     WCI’s galvanize finishing line is well suited to produce heavy gauge hot rolled steel. WCI competes with several other integrated producers and minimills, as well as independent producers in the heavy gauge galvanize steel market.

     Commodity Products

     In fiscal 2002, WCI shipped 659,591 tons in the aggregate of sheet and strip products consisting of hot and cold rolled low carbon, other high strength and light gauge galvanize steel, which represented approximately 51.5% of the Company’s net tons shipped. Hot rolled low carbon and high strength sheet is sold to steel service centers or manufacturers producing a broad array of products, including tubing, stampings and roll formed parts. Cold rolled low carbon and light gauge galvanize sheet and strip is purchased by service centers, container manufacturers, and the automotive and appliance industries. In these commodity steel markets, WCI competes with all major integrated producers, minimills, and independent producers.

Marketing

     WCI’s marketing, sales and customer service functions are conducted through three wholly owned subsidiaries, WCI Steel Sales LP (WCI Sales), WCI Steel Metallurgical Services Inc. (WCI Metallurgical Services) and WCI Steel Production Control Services Inc. (WCI Production Services).

     WCI Sales is responsible for developing and implementing a sales and marketing strategy aimed at increasing the sales of custom steel products and building the strategic customer base. WCI Sales employs a direct sales force covering approximately 230 active accounts and other potential steel accounts within WCI’s geographic market. Approximately 50% of WCI Sales’ shipments are to customers within 200 miles of the Warren facility, and as a result of this concentration of active and potential customers in its service area, WCI Sales believes that it has a competitive advantage over competitors located farther away.

     Sales outside WCI’s geographic market are made through independent sales representatives on a commission basis. Although transportation costs can be prohibitive at extreme distances from the Warren facility, select custom products are competitively priced outside WCI Sales normal target markets. WCI Sales believes that independent sales representatives provide the most cost-effective method to access these customers. Approximately 4.8% of WCI Sales’ volume in fiscal 2002 was sold through the independent sales representatives.

     Marketing and pricing are centralized at the Warren facility, where the marketing strategy and pricing levels are established for all WCI products. WCI Sales has a marketing staff that works closely with the sales and technical service representatives to coordinate the implementation of the sales and marketing strategy.

     WCI Metallurgical Services is responsible for developing the specialized chemistries that support WCI’s custom product mix. In addition, WCI Metallurgical Services has a staff of technical service representatives with strong metallurgical and technical backgrounds who assist the sales force in the field. Together, WCI believes the sales force and the technical staff comprise a knowledgeable team qualified to identify and meet customer needs.

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     WCI Production Services provides order entry and order status services to assist WCI Sales in meeting customer needs. It also provides customer service and utilizes a fully automated computerized sales network that furnishes the sales force and customers with product specifications and timely order status information.

Customers

     WCI’s customer base is dominated by steel converters and steel service centers, which in fiscal 2002 represented 76.7% of shipments. The remaining shipments were directly to end-users.

     The following table sets forth the percentage of WCI’s net tons shipped to various markets for the past three fiscal years.

                         
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31,
Customer Category 2002 2001 2000




Conversion/further processing
    59.1 %     51.8 %     49.2 %
Steel service centers
    17.6 %     18.7 %     24.8 %
Construction
    11.3 %     15.1 %     12.0 %
Electrical equipment
    3.3 %     4.5 %     5.0 %
Direct automotive
    4.4 %     5.1 %     4.9 %
Other
    4.3 %     4.8 %     4.1 %
     
     
     
 
Total
    100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %
     
     
     
 

     In fiscal years 2002, 2001 and 2000, WCI’s twenty largest customers represented approximately 63%, 62% and 62%, respectively, of net sales. The Company’s largest customer, Worthington Industries, represented approximately 11.7%, 9.8% and 10.1% of net sales in fiscal 2002, 2001 and 2000, respectively.

Backlog

     On October 31, 2002, WCI’s order backlog was approximately 195,000 net tons with an approximate value of $89 million compared to approximately 135,000 net tons with an approximate value of $52 million at October 31, 2001, based in each case on the then current prices. Under the applicable orders, WCI shipped substantially all of the orders in the October 31, 2002 backlog by January 31, 2003. Although customers may cancel orders included in the backlog, such cancellations have been negligible in the past.

Competition

     The domestic steel market is highly competitive. Competition in the domestic steel market is intensified by excess world capacity which results in significant steel imports to the United States. This competition affects the prices the Company can charge for its products and the utilization of its production facilities.

     In the United States WCI competes with many other integrated producers and minimills in most of its custom products. Minimills are generally smaller volume steel producers that use ferrous scrap metals as their basic raw material in an electric furnace production process. Compared to most integrated producers, minimills, which rely on less capital-intensive hot metal sources, have certain

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production cost advantages. Because minimills typically are not unionized, they have more flexible work rules, which have resulted in lower employment costs per net ton shipped. Through the use of various higher quality raw materials and the development of thin slab casting technology, electric furnace producers are able to compete directly with producers of higher value products, including high carbon, alloy and coated products. The penetration of the minimills into the high carbon and alloy product markets has resulted from the distortion of steel supply created by a significant level of imports in flat rolled steel products into the United States. This penetration has influenced the pricing structure of these products and has reduced the premium WCI is able to receive on these products compared to commodity products. In addition, certain integrated producers, which had ceased operations, have been restarted. These restarted integrated facilities have a number of competitive advantages over other integrated operations, including lower manning, more flexible work arrangements, lower benefit costs and lower debt obligations. With several other integrated producers operating under bankruptcy court protection, changes to the competitive steel environment are expected to continue.

     During the last several years steel imports into the U.S. have adversely affected shipping volume and have contributed significantly to pricing volatility. During this period, WCI and the steel industry have filed various trade cases against hot-rolled and cold-rolled carbon steel flat products from various countries in response to this increase in imports. While various duties have been imposed on these products from certain countries, to date these duties have been ineffective in reducing overall steel imports to the U.S.

     In response to the surging imports, in June 2001 the U.S. Trade Representative, at the direction of President Bush, requested an investigation by the International Trade Commission under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 to determine whether steel is being imported into the U.S. in such quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the U.S. steel industry.

     This investigation culminated on March 5, 2002 when President Bush issued his remedy regarding the Section 201 investigation which became effective for imports entering the U.S. on or after March 20, 2002. This remedy includes a tariff rate quota on carbon and alloy slabs of 30% in excess of 5.4 million tons per year adjusting over a three year period to 18% on imports in excess of 6.4 million tons and a 30% tariff on hot-rolled, cold-rolled and coated sheet and strip declining over a three year period to 18%. These remedies pertain to imports from all countries except Canada, Mexico, Jordan, Israel and certain developing countries. Since the March 2002 Section 201 remedy was imposed, the U.S. government has limited its effectiveness by excluding millions of tons of steel products originally covered by those tariffs. More than 700 exclusion requests to the 201 tariffs have been granted, affecting approximately 30% of the steel initially covered under the Section 201 remedy. Additional exclusions have been requested and are pending before the U.S. government. These tariffs will be reviewed in September 2003 and may be adjusted at that time.

     The relative strength of the U.S. dollar and economy versus the strength of foreign currencies and economies can significantly affect the import/export trade balance for flat rolled steel. In addition to competition from domestic and foreign steel producers, materials such as aluminum, cement, composites, glass and plastics compete as substitutes for steel in many markets.

Manufacturing Process

     In WCI’s primary steelmaking process, iron ore pellets, coke, limestone, and other raw materials are consumed in the blast furnace to produce “hot metal.” Hot metal is further converted into liquid steel through the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) process where impurities are removed, recycled scrap is added and metallurgical properties for end use are determined on a batch-by-batch basis. WCI’s BOF has two vessels, each with a steelmaking capacity of 182 tons per heat. From the BOF, the heats of steel are sent to the ladle metallurgy

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facility (LMF), where the temperature and chemistry of the steel are adjusted to precise tolerances. In addition, the steel may be vacuum degassed to further improve its cleanliness. Liquid steel from the LMF then is formed into slabs through the process of continuous casting. WCI’s twin-strand continuous slab caster (Continuous Caster) allows WCI to cast all of its steel products. After continuous casting, slabs then are reheated, reduced and finished by extensive rolling, shaping, tempering and, in certain cases, by the application of coatings at WCI’s downstream operations. Finished products are usually shipped to customers in the form of coils. WCI has linked its steelmaking and rolling equipment with a computer based integrated manufacturing control system to coordinate production and sales activities.

Raw Materials

     WCI’s steelmaking operations are dependent on reliable supplies of various raw materials, principally iron ore pellets, coke, scrap and energy. WCI believes that it has adequate sources of its principal raw materials to meet its present needs.

     Iron Ore Pellets

     WCI has a contract with a major supplier of iron ore pellets for its requirements through calendar 2004. Iron ore pellets satisfied approximately 97.7% of WCI’s iron requirements for the blast furnace in fiscal 2002. The iron ore pellet contract requires WCI to purchase all of its iron ore pellet requirements through calendar 2004 from the contracting vendor. WCI carries an increased level of iron ore pellet inventory immediately preceding the winter months, due to the curtailment of vendor shipments during the winter as a result of the freezing of the Great Lakes.

   Coke

     Coke is the principal fuel used to produce hot metal and is an essential ingredient in steelmaking. WCI has a contract with an integrated steel producer for a majority of its estimated coke requirements through calendar 2004. WCI’s coke requirements are approximately 670,000 tons per year. The domestic supply of coke has decreased significantly over the last decade and may decrease further in the future due to the requirements of the Clean Air Act and the financial condition of certain producers. As the Company does not own a coke battery, it is dependent upon commercially available domestic or imported coke to sustain its operations. Although the Company believes that there will be adequate supplies of domestic or imported coke available for its purposes after the expiration of its contracts in 2004, there can be no assurance to such effect.

   Scrap

     WCI uses scrap steel to supplement the hot metal produced at the blast furnace for the steel making process. Scrap steel accounted for approximately 26.0% of the Company’s liquid steel production in fiscal 2002. Scrap steel is readily available and is purchased on an as-needed basis.

   Energy and Gases

     WCI’s steel operation consumes large amounts of electricity, natural gas, oxygen and other industrial gases. WCI purchases its electrical power requirements under a contract that extends through March 2005 from a local utility. WCI can generate approximately 20% of its electrical needs. Natural gas is also purchased pursuant to supply contracts, certain of which extend through March 2003. Oxygen is delivered, under a contract that extends through April 2017, from a supplier-owned facility located at the Warren facility.

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Environmental Matters

     In common with much of the steel industry, the Company’s facilities are located on sites that have been used for heavy industrial purposes for decades. The Company is and will continue to be subject to numerous federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations governing, among other things, air emissions, waste water discharge and solid and hazardous waste management. The Company has made and intends to continue to make the necessary expenditures for environmental remediation and compliance with environmental laws and regulations. Environmental laws and regulations continue to change and have generally become more stringent, and the Company may be subject to more stringent environmental laws and regulations in the future. Compliance with more stringent environmental laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

     The Company is subject to a consent decree as a result of a civil action instituted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Work required under the consent decree was completed during January 2003 with the exception of final reporting. The consent decree also provides for stipulated penalties in the event of noncompliance which the Company does not believe will be material.

     As a condition of a previous Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) operating permit, the Company is required to undertake a corrective action program with respect to on-site waste management practices at the Warren facility. The work plan for the initial phase of the investigation step of the corrective action program, the RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI), identifies thirteen solid waste management units to be investigated. The Company has completed and submitted its RFI Phase 1 report to the EPA. The Company has also completed human health and ecological risk assessments, the results of which will be used to identify whether any further investigative steps are required to complete the RFI. The Company submitted its risk assessment reports to the EPA, and is awaiting a response. Any additional investigative steps, such as sampling, would then be undertaken in 2003 and 2004 as phase two of the RFI. The final scope of corrective action required to address any contamination that may be present at or emanating from the solid waste management units at the Warren facility, including the potential for remediation, is dependent upon the completion and findings of the RFI and the development and approval of a corrective action program. Accordingly, the Company is unable at this time to estimate the final cost of the corrective action program or the period over which such costs may be incurred and there can be no assurance that any such corrective action program would not have a material adverse effect on the operating results or financial condition of the Company.

     The Company completed construction of the first phase of a new landfill during 2002 which is currently operational at its Warren facility, which receives waste materials from the iron and steel-making operations. The Company has a plan which has been approved by the EPA for closure of the former landfill through recycling by providing approximately one-third of its contents to established markets for construction materials and disposing of any non-salable or non-recyclable material in the new lined landfill. The Company is not permitted to put any new material on the former landfill. The Company is permitted to cease the recycling process and close the former landfill under an EPA approved plan at the Company’s discretion.

     The EPA issued a unilateral administrative order (Order) to the Company pursuant to Section 7003 of RCRA, effective on September 24, 2002. The Order asserts that the Company’s handling of solid waste in various impoundment areas presents an imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment by virtue of potential harm to wildlife, including migratory birds, that may

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land on or enter the areas. The Order required the Company, among other things, to (i) take immediate measures to deter and discourage wildlife from landing on or entering the areas, (ii) remove all oily wastes from the impoundments, and (iii) remove all remaining oily sludge from the banks and bottoms of the impoundments. RCRA provides for civil penalties of up to $5,500 per day for noncompliance with the Order. In written comments, the Company raised several concerns and objected to both the issuance of the Order and its scope, including portions of the Order calling for removal of all oily material from the impoundments. The Company also submitted a draft work plan to EPA setting forth a number of activities that the Company considers reasonably necessary to abate any alleged endangerment, and began implementing the draft work plan in the fall of 2002. In January 2003, EPA approved portions of the draft work plan and disapproved other portions. EPA also issued an Amended Order, dated January 21, 2003. The Amended Order requires the Company to continue implementing its immediate deterrent measures. For impoundments that are a required part of the Company’s ongoing operations, the Amended Order requires the Company to either install a netting system over the impoundments or remove all oily material. For the inactive areas, the Amended Order requires that all oily material be removed. The Company is currently evaluating the feasibility of EPA’s demands, including timing, and available options for responding to the Amended Order.

     In addition, the Company received correspondence dated December 27, 2002 from the U.S. Attorney’s office on behalf of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service alleging that the Company has violated Section 703(a) of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (a misdemeanor). The Company and its legal counsel met with the Assistant U.S. Attorney in February 2003 to discuss possible resolutions for this matter, and those discussions are ongoing. The Company believes that it will resolve this matter in a manner that will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

     A liability has been established for an amount, which the Company believes is adequate, based on information currently available, to cover the costs to resolve the above described matters, including remediation, if any, except for any costs of corrective action that may result from the RFI for which no estimate can currently be made. The outcome of the above described matters could have a material adverse effect on the future operating results of the Company in a particular quarter or annual period; however, the Company believes that the effect of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position.

Employees

     As of October 31, 2002, WCI had 437 salaried employees and 1,363 hourly employees. Most of the employees are located at the Warren facility with most of the hourly employees being represented by the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) with which WCI has a five-year collective bargaining agreement that expires October 31, 2004.

Benefit Plans

   Hourly Profit Sharing Plan

     Certain hourly employees represented by the USWA participate in a profit sharing plan under which the Company pays 12% of pretax income as defined in the profit sharing agreement. The Company advances one-half of the amounts due under this plan on a quarterly basis, within 45 days following the end of each fiscal quarter, and pays the remaining amounts by February 15 of the subsequent year.

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   Salaried Variable Compensation Plan

     WCI has a variable compensation plan for salaried employees known as the Company Performance Compensation Program (CPC). Under the CPC, salaried employees receive variable compensation based on WCI’s pretax income as defined in the plan. CPC payments are measured as a percentage of the employees’ base salary and paid quarterly.

   Pension Plans

     WCI has a defined contribution retirement plan that covers substantially all salaried employees. WCI funds contributions to this plan as earned on a monthly basis. Company contributions to the plan are based on employee age and compensation.

     The Company has a defined benefit floor offset pension plan, which covers substantially all hourly employees at the Warren facility. The plan, when combined with benefits from the Company’s defined contribution plan which was frozen effective September 1, 1999 and benefits from a predecessor company’s defined benefit pension plan, provide a minimum level of pension benefits for eligible employees. Benefits are based on age and years of service, but not compensation. Under this plan, employees who retired on or before August 31, 1999 receive a monthly benefit equal to $35 (Benefit Multiplier) times the number of years of service with WCI or its predecessors. Effective September 1, 2000 for retirements on or after September 1, 1999, the Benefit Multiplier increased from $35 to $52.50 for years of service up to 30 and $70 for years of service in excess of 30. On September 1, 2002 for retirements on or after September 1, 1999, the Benefit Multiplier further increased to $56.25 for years of service up to 30 and $75 for years of service in excess of 30. If the employee has at least 30 years of service at retirement, the monthly benefit is subject to certain minimums based on age at retirement. No named executive officer is eligible to participate in this plan.

   Postretirement Benefit Plans

     WCI provides postretirement health care and life insurance benefits to substantially all employees who retire upon meeting certain age and length of service eligibility requirements. The Company has established a trust to hold contributions to fund future postretirement health care and life insurance obligations related to the hourly workforce. This trust holds liens on certain assets of the Company and one of its subsidiaries to secure the Company’s obligation for postretirement health care benefits. As a result of the collective bargaining agreement effective September 1, 1999, the Company was permitted to pay current claims up to $8.8 million from the trust. That limit was reached during the three months ended July 31, 2001 thereafter requiring the Company to pay claims from corporate assets. Claims paid by the Company or trust totaled $7.1 million, $5.4 million and $4.4 million during fiscal years 2002, 2001, and 2000, respectively.

ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES

     WCI’s Warren, Ohio facility, situated on approximately 1,100 acres, includes a blast furnace, a two vessel BOF shop, an LMF and a vacuum degasser, a twin-strand Continuous Caster, a 56-inch hot strip mill, 54-inch tandem and temper mills, annealing facilities, a silicon continuous annealing line, hot-dip galvanizing line and other finishing facilities. The blast furnace was last relined during 1995 as part of its planned maintenance, a procedure which is performed on a routine basis about every six to ten years.

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     Youngstown Sinter Company (YSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of WCI, owns a sinter plant located in Youngstown, Ohio on 51 acres. YSC idled its plant indefinitely effective July 15, 2001. YSC had been in operation since 1991 producing a clinker-type material (Sinter) from steelmaking by-products such as slag and ore fines. The sinter was then used as a substitute feed stock in WCI’s blast furnace facility located in Warren, Ohio. The sinter plant may be restarted in the future if economically advantageous.

     Niles Properties, Inc., a subsidiary of the Company located approximately five miles from the Warren facility, has approximately 525,000 square feet of building space with one long-term tenant occupying approximately 5% of the facility.

     WCI believes that its facilities are well maintained and they are considered satisfactory for their purposes.

     See Part II, Item 8, Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a description of liens related to the Company’s property, plant and equipment.

ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

     See Item 1, Environmental Matters, for information as to legal proceedings relating to environmental matters. The Company is contingently liable with respect to lawsuits and other claims incidental to the ordinary course of its business.

ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

     No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the quarter ended October 31, 2002.

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PART II

ITEM 5.    MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

     The Company is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Renco Steel Holdings, Inc. (Renco Steel) and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of The Renco Group, Inc. (Renco). There is no established public trading market for the Company’s common stock. Since December 1996, the Company has had one shareholder. The Company did not pay dividends during fiscal year 2002 nor during fiscal year 2001. See Part II, Item 8, Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for limitations on dividends.

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ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

                                           
Fiscal Year Ended October 31,
2002 2001(2) 2000 1999(1) 1998





(Dollars and tons in thousands, except per ton amounts)
Statement of Operations Data:
                                       
 
Net Sales
  $ 502,047     $ 413,108     $ 560,689     $ 531,669     $ 665,741  
 
Cost of products sold
    473,055       430,991       487,477       468,170       560,951  
     
     
     
     
     
 
 
Gross margin (loss)
    28,992       (17,883 )     73,212       63,499       104,790  
 
Depreciation and amortization
    18,987       20,870       23,254       23,334       25,240  
 
Selling, general and administrative expenses
    14,939       16,833       15,770       14,613       17,343  
 
Unusual charges
          5,631                    
     
     
     
     
     
 
 
Operating income (loss)
    (4,934 )     (61,217 )     34,188       25,552       62,207  
 
Interest expense
    33,179       31,980       31,940       32,030       32,057  
 
Interest and other income (expense)
    544       (7,608 )     8,054       8,062       2,308  
     
     
     
     
     
 
 
Income (loss) before income taxes
    (37,569 )     (100,805 )     10,302       1,584       32,458  
 
Income taxes
                      (4,279 )     12,365  
     
     
     
     
     
 
 
Net income (loss)
  $ (37,569 )   $ (100,805 )   $ 10,302     $ 5,863     $ 20,093  
     
     
     
     
     
 
Other Operating Data:
                                       
 
Net tons shipped
    1,281       1,041       1,266       1,212       1,412  
 
Percent custom products
    48.5 %     51.5 %     52.1 %     56.6 %     52.7 %
 
Average selling price per net ton shipped
  $ 392     $ 397     $ 443     $ 439     $ 471  
 
Average cost per net ton shipped
    369       414       385       386       397  
 
Average gross margin (loss) per net ton shipped
    23       (17 )     58       52       74  
 
Average operating income (loss) per net ton shipped
    (4 )     (59 )     27       21       44  
Balance Sheet Data: