IPSCO To Be Honoured For Manufacturing Performance Excellence

Lisle, Illinois, November 30, 2005 - IPSCO Inc's (NYSE:IPS; Toronto) Alabama Steelworks has been named one of the winners of the 2005 Alabama Quality Awards. The Alabama Productivity Center and the Alabama Technology Network will present IPSCO with its Progress Toward Excellence award at its annual conference today. 

"The award underscores our commitment to remain a trusted and respected supplier to the industrial community here in the south and across the country," said Jon Dorricott, the head of technical services for IPSCO’s Mobile, Alabama operations.

The Alabama Quality Award (AQA) is modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and recognizes and honors organizations that use effective productivity and quality improvement strategies, techniques or practices that can be shared with other organizations to help contribute to the overall economic well-being in the state of Alabama. At the conference, IPSCO’s Alabama Steelworks will have an opportunity to share their ideas on best business practices with other organizations.

Various levels were established for this year’s Alabama Quality Award ranging from Level One to Level Three, with Level Three being the highest level of recognition.

"To be recognized within the state for our Level Two AQA performance is an honor," said Paul Wilson, IPSCO’s Alabama Works Manager. "High performance manufacturing emphasizes a need for quality in all aspect of operations and this recognition reinforces to us that we are doing all the right things."

In consideration of the award, IPSCO’s Alabama Steelworks was assessed on all aspects of its operations including leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, performance results, and commitment to the community.

"For most organizations, the most valuable aspect of going through the award process is the feedback that an organization receives, both external and internal," said Dr. David Miller, Director of the Alabama Productivity Center. "Externally, the award process provides an audit of whether the organization is doing the right things the right way. Internally, the process forces an organization to do a self assessment by going through the steps of preparing an application."

IPSCO began operating in Mobile County 5 years ago and today employs 370 employees.

This news release contains forward-looking information with respect to IPSCO's operations and beliefs. Actual results may differ from these forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to: weather conditions affecting the oil patch; drilling rig availability; demand for oil and gas; supply, demand and price for scrap metal and other raw materials; supply, demand and price for electricity and natural gas; demand and prices for products produced by IPSCO; general economic conditions and changes in financial markets. These and other factors are outlined in IPSCO’s regulatory filings with the Canadian securities regulators (at www.sedar.com) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml), including those in IPSCO’s Annual Report for 2004, its MD&A, particularly as discussed under the heading “Business Risks and Uncertainties,” its Annual Information Form, and its Form 40-F.

Company Contact:
John Comrie
Director, Trade Policy and Communications
Tel. 630-810-4730
Release 05-44
    
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