OREANDA-NEWS. August 16, 2012. Gerdau’s Supplier Development Program, an initiative aimed at increasing the productivity and competitiveness of its business chain, will benefit 85 small businesses in Colombia and Mexico beginning in 2012. The program was launched in these two countries in partnership with FUNDES, a network of

corporate solutions to support micro, small, and medium companies in Latin America and Mexico's National

Department of Economy.

Participating companies will initially undergo a diagnosis for identifying improvement opportunities and for preparing action plans developed in accordance with the need of each supplier. After this, the training and consulting program will begin with a focus on topics such as business management, quality, sustainability, and safety. Also directed by the Gerdau Institute in 2012, the program takes place in Brazil, Peru, and Argentina benefiting a total of more than 450 suppliers.

Gerdau is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. With over 45,000 employees, it has industrial operations in 14 countries - in the Americas, Europe and Asia - which together represent an installed capacity of over 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America and around the world it transforms, each year, millions of metric tons of scrap into steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 140,000 shareholders, the Company is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York and Madrid.