Robert W. Philip, chairman and CEO of Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc., Portland, Ore., has announced that Kurt Zetzsche, president of Cascade Steel Rolling Mills Inc., intends to retire Nov. 5, 2004, shortly after his 65th birthday.
Zetzsche, president of Cascade Steel since January of 1993, has been active in the steel manufacturing business since 1966, including serving as president of the former Knoxville Iron Co., Knoxville, Tenn., prior to joining Cascade Steel.
Philip noted that Zetzsche led the company through a period of substantial expansion of the physical platn and growth of the business, including installation of an automatic stacker/bundler and in-line straightener for the production of flats and angles and the installation of a new rod and bar mill for the production of wire rod and coiled rebar. Currently, the installation of a new electric arc furnace, which is expected to increase melt shop productivity, is scheduled for December 2004. During Zetzsche's tenure, the steel mill grew from roughly 350,000 tons of annual production and sales to nearly 650,000 tons.
"The board of directors and all our employees have sincerely appreciated the many years of dedication and hard work put in to making Cascade successful, and we extend to you our best wishes in the years ahead," Philip said to Zetzsche.
Reviewing his tenure at Cascade, Zetzsche said he was particularly proud of the company's 448-member workforce, citing the development of strong, well-trained, highly productive workforce as a key factor in the successful operation of the mill.
Philip noted tha tthe company is in the process of promoting from in-house a director of operations, a newly created, permanent position tha is expected to be filled within the next month.