OREANDA-NEWS. In the year 2012, Gerdau intensified its development actions of suppliers and customers through training in management, quality, and productivity, as well as preparation related to citizenship and the sustainability of the business. In order to create value shared between the Company and its business chain, 24 projects were executed in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Uruguay, and Venezuela benefiting 956 small businesses and 103,000 professionals.

Supported by the Gerdau Institute, the Company believes that the growth and sustainability of a company are directly linked to building relations of mutual benefit with its chain of business, employees, and communities.

Gerdau is the leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special long steel in the world. It has more than 45,000 employees and industrial operations in 14 countries with operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, which together represent an installed capacity of more than 25 million metric tons of steel per year. Gerdau is the largest recycler in Latin America and around the world and transforms millions of metric tons of scrap into steel every year. Gerdau is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York and Madrid, and has approximately 140,000 shareholders.