The company's principal activity is to provide specialized metal processing service to satisfy specifications established by end users. The company's network of service centers carries a full line of metal products in a wide range of sizes, shapes and specifications, including carbon hot rolled and cold finished steel, pipe and tubular products, stainless steel and aluminum. The company purchases these products primarily from producers in North America and packages them for end users who typically require products in quantities that are smaller than the economic minimum order available from producers. The customers of the company include machinery and equipment manufacturing, construction, shipbuilding and mining and petroleum industries. The service center network includes 45 Canadian and 5 us locations. Service center distribution accounted for 50% of 2001 revenues; energy sector distribution, 26%; steel import/export 23% and other 1%.
