NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Becky Paul

JW ALUMINUM NAMES MILLER, GENERAL MANAGER;
LAMBERT, PLANT CONTROLLER OF ITS ST. LOUIS OPERATIONS

Charleston, SC, May 17, 2004 — JW Aluminum announced today that David B. Miller has joined the company's Leadership Team as General Manager of its St. Louis operations. He will be responsible for the site's performance and strategic direction, as well as for completing its integration into JW Aluminum.

Before joining JW Aluminum, Mr. Miller had served as director of operations with Lennox-Heathcraft and prior to that, had been general manager and vice president of engineering with Ingersol-Rand-Hussmann-Krackt. Mr. Miller will report directly to Don Kassing, President & CEO of JW Aluminum.

"We are fortunate to hire someone with David Miller's background and expertise," said Mr. Kassing. "He brings more than 28 years of manufacturing and engineering experience and has a proven record of success in a variety of positions."

The company also announced that Robert Lambert has joined its St. Louis operations as plant controller. Mr. Lambert has over 20 years of manufacturing experience, most recently with equipment manufacturer, Pandjiis, Inc. Mr. Lambert's responsibilities will include financial reporting and accounting, internal control, cost reduction initiatives, product profitability analysis, budgeting, forecasting and asset management. He is a certified public accountant, has a master's degree in business and is a certified management accountant. Mr. Lambert will report to Mr. Miller on operational matters and to Barry Peake, JW Aluminum's CFO, on financial matters.

In April 2004, JW Aluminum acquired the St. Louis operations from the Aluminum Company of America as part of its purchase of Alcoa's Converter Foil Operations.

JW Aluminum is the leading producer of specialty, flat-rolled aluminum products, including bare and coated fin stock, building and distributor sheet, automotive heat shields, cable wrap, litho sheet, flexible packaging and converter foil products. In December 2003, JW Aluminum became a member of the Wellspring Capital Management family of companies and in April 2004, expand its light-gauge operations through the acquisition of two additional aluminum foil rolling facilities.

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