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2005 CAPACITY ANNOUNCEMENT

04-07-2005

Mt. Holly, SC - JW Aluminum Company announced today the startup of its new melting and casting operation at the company's aluminum rolling facility in Russellville, Arkansas. The first caster started up March 31st and is part of the initial phase of a major expansion program the company is undertaking at the Russellville location. When completed the total capacity of the Russellville facility will increase to 120 million pounds. "We are extremely pleased that JW Aluminum has the confidence in our workforce, and our community as a whole, to make such a long-term commitment to the area and for the company's future." said Jeff Pipkin, President and CEO of the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce and Director of the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development. Pipkin added, "This expansion provides a major boost to the manufacturing employment base and the amount of financial investment in the River Valley area, as well as improving the overall average wage base."

The new equipment at the Russellville plant includes proprietary state of the art melting furnaces, as well as additional casting, rolling and annealing equipment. The first 60 million pounds of the new capacity is slated to be on stream by the second quarter of 2005. "This move comes in part as a response to the needs expressed by our customers for an immediate increase in fin stock capacity" said Jake Bigham, Vice President Sales and Marketing of JW Aluminum Company. "This dramatic jump in fin stock requirements in the air conditioning industry is a direct result of the new SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) requirements that will be effective January 2006".

JW Aluminum purchased the Russellville, Arkansas plant in April of 2004. This expansion is part of the previously announced strategy to dramatically grow the Russellville plant. "We believe the installed cost of this additional capacity is less than half of the traditional industry average and will allow us to continue to drive industry leading returns on invested capital" said Don Kassing, President and CEO of JW Aluminum Company. Mr. Kassing added, "JW Aluminum will continue to seek opportunities to grow its capacity to supply its specialty flat-rolled aluminum products including bare and coated fin stock."

JW Aluminum currently employs 762 people at its 3 aluminum rolling operations. In December 2003, JW Aluminum became a member of the Wellspring Capital Management LLC family of companies. JW Aluminum is headquartered in Mt. Holly, South Carolina. For more information, visit JW Aluminum's website http://www.jwaluminum.com.