12th Middle East Iron and Steel Conference 14-16 December 2008 Grand Hyatt, Dubai, UAE

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Did sub-prime crisis and the credit crunch create any impact on the Middle East steel industry?

Join many of the regions leading analysts and producers for answers to these and many other questions.

MEsteel members save USD100 when participating in this Conference, provided they register through this registration page.

Reasons to Attend:

• Examine the Iranian steel industry – benefit from the latest picture of iron ore, crude steel, finished products, demand and import and export.
• Hear the latest supply side developments from existing and new producers – how are they adapting to energy and resource challenges?
• Understand the implications of spiralling raw material costs – what are regional producer’s integration plans?
• Analyse the demand outlook from the construction sector – what is the fallout from the current economic crisis likely to be?
• Outlook for flat products, stainless steel and coated coils – how much will demand for flat products and stainless steel grow in the Middle East?
• Explore the DRI market from commercial and technological perspectives – captive vs. merchant supply and the latest development in Hot DRI.
• Benefit from in-depth analysis of the freight market – will there be a crash in 2010?
• Network with the largest iron and steel gathering in the region with over 600 international delegates expected this year.

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FINAL PROGRAMME:

Sunday, 14th December 2008

12:30 – 17:30 - Pre-conference workshop

Future-oriented solutions in strip production and processing

• SMS metallurgy – technology partner of steel industry in the Middle East
• New developments in hot rolling technology
• Tailor-made cold rolling technology for the emergent market
• Fully integrated plant concepts of SMS metallurgy
• SeverCorr – a new plant complex for high quality surface sheets
• Economical solutions for strip processing lines
• Stainless steel applications in the Middle East: development and chances of a growing market

17:00 Registration desk opens
19:00 Welcome reception

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Monday, 15th December 2008

08:00 Registration desk opens
09:00 Chairperson’s opening remarks, Phil Price, Steel Editor, Metal Bulletin, UK

Keynote session
09:10 Growth strategies for bringing supply and demand in balance

• Overcoming energy and resource challenges
• Examining Al Tuwairqi’s latest investments
  Dr Hilal Al-Tuwairqi, Chairman, Al-Tuwairqi Group of Companies, Saudi Arabia

09:35 Qatar steel modernisation and expansion

• Fundamentals of Qatar’s steel industry and economic growth
• Rebar market in the GCC
  Ali Al Muraikhi, Manager, Commercial Division, Qatar Steel, UK

10:00 Overview of the Egyptian steel market in 2008 – what does the future hold?

• Booming consumption and continued economic development
• New capacity
  George Matta, Chief Marketing Office, Ezz Steel, Egypt

10:25 Question and answer session
10:30 Refreshment break

11:00 Panel discussion: the Iranian steel industry

• Iron ore production
• Crude steel production
• Private sector rolling mills
• Imports and exports
  Chairperson: Hadi Hami, Independent Consultant
  Speakers: Mohammad Rahim Rasti, Managing Director, National Iran steel co., Iran Senior Executive, IMIDRO, Iran, Further speakers to be announced

Case study
12:15 DGCX steel futures – how its gone so far

• Volumes, price history, price trends (forward curve) etc. good things and less positive ones.
• Price correlation (of DGCX) with views on Dubai rebar, rebar FOB Turkey / Black Sea / China; billet, scrap, pig iron etc.
• How to use that correlation (i) on exchange and (ii) OTC, hedging and investing
• Developments and progress in 2009
  John Short, Executive Director – Steel & Base Metals, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, UAE

12:40 Lunch

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14:15 Investments in the GCC

• Will the current economic situation delay future production capacity in the Gulf?
• What are the implications for project finance?
• Will there be a slowdown in construction demand – or is the Gulf insulated?
  Jim White, Chief Operating Officer, Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporation, UAE

14:40 Challenges of developing an integrated sections mill in the GCC

• Hurdles to new investments - securing iron ore and gas
• Demand outlook for sections in GCC
• Exploring the latest developments in Foulath and Sulb
  Anurag Bisaria, Director – Metals, Gulf Investment Corporation, Kuwait

Focus on rebar – trade & certification
15:05 Rebar supply and demand in the Middle East

• Rebar price over 2008
• What role will China play in 2009?
  Çetin Kaya, General Manager, Ekinciler Iron and Steel Ind. Inc, Turkey

15:30 CARES – ensuring the quality of steel in the GCC

• Understanding the CARES system of product certification – what assurances does its certification give to buyers, designers and building owners?
• Where is demand for CARES certification coming from – examining the level of interest from mills around the world, including China Ben Bowsher, Executive Director, UK Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels, UK

15:55 Refreshment break

Steel trade in the Middle East, demand and volatility outlook
16:25 Is steel price volatility here to stay?

• What have been the main causes of volatility and what can we expect in 2009?
• Will steel futures help or exasperate the situation and how long before sufficient liquidity is achieved?
  Speaker to be announced

16:45 An outlook for construction and petrochemical demand Joachim Schröder, CEO, Research and Consulting Group, Germany

17:05 World trade in steel - recent growth trends and the main global flows

• Latest steel import/export trends in the world’s largest markets
• How steel trade with North Africa/Middle East (MENA) fits into the world picture
• An analysis of the trade of the main countries exporting to MENA including China, Russia, the Ukraine and the EU
• Outlook for steel consumption in the Middle East for 2015
  Steve Mackrell, Director Operations, Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau

17:25 Demand outlook from the construction sector - what is the fallout from the current economic crisis likely to be?
Siddhartha Sengupta, Managing Consultant, Hatch Beddows, UK

Crystal ball session
17:45 A number of conference speakers will discuss what the likely trends in the steel market will be in 2009.
18:15 Close of day one

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Tuesday, 16th December 2008

08:30 Registration desk opens
09:00 Chairperson’s opening remarks

How will the flat products market develop?
09:10 Supply and demand in the coated steel markets

• Adding flat steel capacity in the Middle East
• Strategy and opportunities in the export markets
  Fahad Al-Thukair, President & Board Director, Unicoil, Saudi Arabia

09:35 Analyzing the growing demand for flat products in the UAE

• The role of Al Ghurair Iron & Steel
• Detailing the first cold rolling and galvanizing mill in the UAE
  Abu Bucker, Chief Operating Officer, Al Ghurair Iron & Steel LLC, UAE

10:00 Exploring stainless steel flat products in the Middle East

• Exploring growth and projections for stainless steel demand
• Stimulating growth in downstream stainless manufacturing
  Peter Wildbore, CEO, United Stainless Steel Company, Bahrain

Case study
10:25 Tube and Pipe - an Omani tube producer’s strategy

• Supply and demand situation in Oman
• Challenges in securing feedstock
• Domestic sales vs. exports to date and in the future
  Dr Bhaskar Dutta, Chief Executive Officer, Jazeera Steel, Oman

10:55 Refreshment break

Steel making feedstock
11:25 Pellet demand projections and GIIC’s strategy

• Overview of new DRI production and future investment
• Iron ore price and negotiation outlook – impact for the Middle Eastern market
  K Prasad, General Manager, Commercial & Marketing, GIIC, Bahrain

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11:45 Vale’s pathway to the Middle East
Ivan Montenegro, Project Manager, Oman Industrial Complex, Vale, Brazil

12:05 Examining the outlook in the DRI market

• World EAF metallics balance – market share and growth potential for DRI/HBI
• Economics of hot charging
  Steven Montague, Commercial Vice President, Midrex Technologies Inc, USA

12:25 Outlook for the DRI/HBI Industry to 2013:Will MENA be the new number one?

• Overview of world growth in DRI/HBI plants
• Breakdown by region and anticipated continued growth
• Captive vs. merchant supply, trend toward dual facilities?
• Hot discharge plants and high carbon DRI: raising the productivity bar
  Thomas Scarnati, Manager Marketing & Sales, Tenova HYL, Mexico

Case study
12:45 Simetal CIS EAF with Hot DRI – worldwide benchmark

• Achieving the same productivity with Hot DRI as with scrap based processes
• Overall benefits of using hot DRI vs. DRI or scrap
  Markus Abel, Senior Expert Oxygen Technology, Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH, Germany

13:05 Panel discussion: outlook for DRI and HBI

• Iron ore – how high can it go, how high will it go?
• What are the main challenges faced by DRI plant providers?
• Freight challenges in metallics markets
• Captive vs. merchant supply trends

Speakers:
K Prasad, General Manager, Commercial & Marketing, GIIC, Bahrain
Steven Montague, Commercial Vice President, Midrex Technologies Inc, USA
Thomas Scarnati, Manager Marketing & Sales, Tenova HYL, Mexico
Markus Abel, Senior Expert Oxygen Technology, Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH, Germany
Ivan Montenegro, Project Manager, Oman Industrial Complex, Vale, Brazil

13:30 Lunch

14:45 Panel discussion: freight

• Outlook for dry bulk freight rates and impact for ME steel makers
• Latest fleet development – what’s on the order book and will this capacity reach market?
• Key dry bulk trades and future cargo
• Offshore lighterage options – benefits for steel makers

Speakers:
Peter Malpas, Group Research Manager, Braemar Seascope, Australia
Ralph Leszczynski, Research Manager, Banchero Costa, Italy
Sanjeev Mathur, General Manager, Transhipment, ETA Star, UAE

15:30 Examining the Stefana bar mill

• Efficiency and throughput optimization
• An aggregate of the most recent technologies
  Harry Boubli, Advisor to the Managing Director, SMS Meer, Italy

15:50 Topic to be confirmed
Senior Executive, Danieli, Italy

16:20 Refreshment break
16:50 Close of conference

Note: This programme is provisional only and both timings and content may be subject to change

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For further information you may contact: admin@mesteel.com