[Outline of Suzuyasu Corporation] http://www.suzuyasu.co.jp/

Headquarters: Fuji Star Bldg. 4F, 11-8 Nihonbashi Odenmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Tel: +81-3-5847-5511 Established: 1933 Capital: ¥1.2 billion (Metal One: 83.3%; Nippon Steel: 8.3%; Kobe Steel: 8.3%) President: Yuji Miyazaki Number of employees: 270 Main businesses: Processing and sales of steel plates and sheets and bar steel Sales amount: ¥35 billion (year ended December 2004) Bases: Seven branches, 10 plants and two warehouses, in Kanagawa, Saitama, Tochigi and other areas of eastern Japan

Suzuyasu's predecessor, Suzuyasu Sangyo, became insolvent and filed for application of the Corporate Rehabilitation Law in 1995. The implementation of a wide-ranging rationalization plan, which included reducing its workforce of around 600 by half and re-examining its business centers, led to approval of its restructuring plan in 1997 and the simultaneous integration of the company through the merger of 10 affiliated companies. In the 10 years since then, both management and employees have worked together to rebuild the company, receiving "a tremendous boost thanks to Metal One's involvement" according to President Yuji Miyazaki. The initial repayment plan of up to 15 years was changed to a lump-sum repayment program over eight years and restructuring was completed in March 2005 following a decision to end reorganization procedures.

The hardworking efforts of both management and employees, in tandem with a rise in the steel industry's ability to make profits in recent years, provided a great boost to the recovery efforts. The customers who sustain Suzuyasu were also essential to its rebuilding. President Miyazaki, who was assigned from the former Nissho Iwai Corporation (now Sojitz Corporation) as acting administrator in June 2000 and served as corporate administrator from March 2004, spoke to us about business developments with the company's customers: "Nearly all the approximately 1,500 companies that are our users praised our capabilities, and during rebuilding it was a great motivating force that they continued to deal with us even after bankruptcy."

Steel sheet coil center operations account for a large portion of Suzuyasu's business at around 80% of transaction volume, with the remaining 20% made up of construction materials such as wide flange beams and columns, making the company a complex processing and distribution company. During the December 2004 period, business volume was 460,000 tonnes with sales totaling ¥35 billion. The forecast for the December 2005 period is for transaction volume of 470,000 tonnes and ¥42 billion in sales. Few companies simultaneously handle coil centers and a large volume of construction steel products. President Miyazaki says that by making the most of this unique aspect, "We want to make Suzuyasu indispensable by offering functions that users require: a large inventory, processing with thorough quality control, and prompt delivery. Our interim goal is to reach 500,000 tonnes of annual business volume and expand our customer base from 1,500 to 2,000 firms." Suzuyasu is shifting into gear after a long period of biding its time.