Thank you, Tenaris Algoma Tubes!

Jorge Mitre, Canadian Area Manager for Tenaris Tubular Technology, is making sure there's a guaranteed healthy work force for Algoma Tubes.

Mitre (shown) announced today that Tenaris Algoma Tubes is contributing $1 million dollars to build the obstetrics and pediatrics area of the new Sault Area Hospital.

"It's a considerable area of the hospital," said Johanne Messier-Mann, director of what will become the Tenaris Centre for Maternal Child Program.

"The program will take care of all the personnel, all the pediatric patients, all the women for prenatal assessments, women in labour and delivering their babies, women having ceserian sections, all the babies that are born and also the neo-natal intensive care unit," she said.

Mitre said the donation is one way to demonstrate the tube mill's extraordinary committment to its community.

"Tenaris Algoma Tubes is committed to Sault Ste. Marie and we see our donation as a solid investment in the community's future," said Mitre. "I am pleased to make this donation on behalf of Tenaris Algoma Tubes and all of our employees, who have worked exceptionally hard to help make our company what it is today."

When Tenaris came to town in 2000, it started with 160 employees.

Since then, the company's work force has grown to more than 600 with annual production capacity of 250,000 tons of seamless pipes.

Tenaris Algoma Tubes rolled its first pipe on November 2, 2000 after receiving the keys to the Sault plant on September 17 that year.

"The company is clearly looking forward to getting involved in any activities that are beneficial for our company and the community," Mitre said. "That's the way we operate worldwide."

Tenaris has mills and manufacturing companies in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Romania and Venezuela, and offices world-wide, with an annual production capacity of 3.3 million tons of seamless, and 850 thousand tons of welded pipes, annual consolidated net sales in excess of US$6 billion and 17,500 employees worldwide.

Sault Ste. Marie is the company's primary North American manufacturing facility and its head office for all North American operations.