Brussels, Belgium, 22 October 2007 Living Steel announced today the addition of Becker Industrial Coatings (BIC) as an Associate Member to its 5-year programme. BIC is the first paint company to join the initiative and represents the programme's efforts to unite a global supply chain to support steel in residential construction.

"Living Steel welcomes Beckers as a new Associate Member to the programme. This new partnership would showcase the architectural flexibility which pre-painted steel offers to homeowners. With Beckers' coil coating technology, new homeowners can design innovative and eco-efficient houses that are strikingly unique in their aesthetics and will stay that way for years to come, "said Scott Chubbs, Living Steel Programme Director.

BIC is headquartered in Lyon in France and has its main research base (the LTD group) in the United Kingdom. The division manufactures and markets industrial coatings, that is, paints applied to products as they are made in factories. BIC concentrates particularly on supplying technologically advanced coatings for processes with lower environmental impact (such as coil coatings).

As an Associate member, BIC will have the opportunity to actively participate in the programme's projects and have full access to all its outcomes and deliverables. Membership in Living Steel also includes participation in the World Steel Construction Council, whose focus is to enhance the steel construction community through worldwide networking.

Living Steel is a worldwide, collaborative programme designed to stimulate innovative and responsible housing design and construction. It was launched in February 2005 by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI). Three membership levels are possible, each offering its own level of participation in the programme: Full, Associate and Supporting. To learn more about becoming a member of Living Steel, visit www.livingsteel.org/members.

Through its global partnerships, Living Steel combines existing best practice across disciplines to create the broadest possible base of knowledge and intellectual insight. This is made possible through the support and intellectual inputs of its members-comprising some of the largest steel-producing companies in the world.

www.livingsteel.org/

Living Steel, a worldwide programme to stimulate innovation in the design and construction of housing, was launched in February, 2005. The International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) provide the project management. Living Steel is a five-year programme with an anticipated total budget of €14.25 million.

Current Full Members of Living Steel include Arcelor Mittal, Baosteel, BlueScope Steel, CELSA Group, Corus, Erdemir, IMIDRO, POSCO, Ruukki, SeverStal and Tata Steel. Associate Member includes St. Gobain BPB and Becker Industrial Coating Division (BIC). Supporting members include Associação Portuguesa de Construção Metálica e Mista, Asociación para la Construcción de Estructuras Metálicas, Asociación para la Promoción Técnica del Acero, Bouwen mit Staal, Canadian Institute of Steel Construction, Centro Brasileiro da Construção em Aço, European Convention for Constructional Steelwork, Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association, Fondazione Promozione Acciaio, HERA, Institute for Steel Development and Growth, Instituto Latinoamericano del Fierro y el Acero, International Zinc Association, Korea Iron & Steel Association, Korean Society of Steel Construction, Singapore Structural Steel Society, South African Institute of Steel Construction, Staalinfocentrum - Centre Information Acier, Stahl-Informations-Zentrum, Steel Construction Institute, Steel Framing Alliance and Turk Yapisal Celik Dernegi.

www.beckers-bic.com/

Becker Industrial Coatings is focused on industrial liquid coatings for three market segments; Coil Coatings where Becker is a leader in Europe and Asia; Metal Coatings with a strong position in sectors like agriculture and the construction industry, and Plastic Coatings with a complete spectrum for mobile phones, car components and electronic equipment.

Becker Industrial Coatings operates from 15 sites in major industrial centres and locations close to key customers around the world. They are committed to precision in everything they do; innovation, testing, production quality and speed of response.

Sheetal Chabra
Project Manager, Communications, Living Steel
International Iron and Steel Institute
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