Kaiser Aluminum Receives Award in Extrusion Design Competition for Work on Honda Motorcycle Frame

    HOUSTON--April 9, 2002--Kaiser Aluminum (OTCBB:KLUCQ) has won the Transportation Category award of the 2002 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition in connection with the company's joint development of a customized alloy to complement the Honda Gold Wing GL1800 motorcycle frame design.
    The award was presented on March 16, 2002 by the Aluminum Extruders' Council and the Extrusion Technology for Aluminum Profiles Foundation.
    The 7003 alloy customized by Kaiser, in conjunction with Honda of America Mfg., is used to manufacture the frame of Honda's largest top-of-the-line Gold Wing GL1800 touring motorcycle. In comparison to the Gold Wing's previous steel frame, the aluminum frame weighs 25 pounds less, has a 119 percent increase in lateral rigidity, and a 77 percent increase in torsional rigidity. Photographs of the frame and of the Honda Gold Wing are attached to the electronic version of this press release (and are also available at www.kaiseral.com).
    The project was conducted at Kaiser's extrusion plant in London, Ontario, over the course of more than two years after Honda representatives approached the company in 1998 with a proposal to pursue a cooperative technical effort.
    Honda began manufacturing the completely redesigned Gold Wing motorcycle with the new aluminum frame in 2000. Kaiser's London plant manufactures the majority of the frame and provides it directly to Honda of America Mfg.'s plant in Marysville, Ohio.
    Kaiser Aluminum is a leading producer of alumina, primary aluminum, and fabricated aluminum products.
    Honda of America Mfg. is the exclusive manufacturer of Honda's largest motorcycles, including the Gold Wing, VTX 1800 and 1300 V-twins, Valkyrie and Shadow models. In addition, Honda of America produces all-terrain vehicles, automobiles, and engines from domestic and globally sourced parts at its four plants in west central Ohio.
    Company press releases may contain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company cautions that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve significant risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors.

    Note: Photos are available at URL: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.040902/bb9 http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.040902/bb9a