OREANDA-NEWS. Gerdau initiated in Argentina the training of 35 small and medium enterprises that are part of the Company' business chain through its Supplier Development Program. The initiative contributes to the continuous improvement of the Company's business by stimulating an entrepreneurial spirit and increasing quality in management, productivity, and competitiveness of customers, suppliers, and consumers. The project covers the stages of diagnostic, training, and implementation of the action plans according to the needs of each company.

The Supplier Development Program, which has the support of the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) and the collaboration of volunteers from Gerdau, has been held annually in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. In 2012, it benefited over 400 small and medium enterprises with training courses in these seven countries.

Gerdau is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. With over 45,000 employees, it has industrial operations in 14 countries - in the Americas, Europe and Asia - which together represent an installed capacity of over 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America and around the world it transforms, each year, millions of metric tons of scrap into steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 140,000 shareholders, the Company is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York and Madrid.