Rouge Steel Resumes 'B' Blast Furnace Production

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 2, 2003 -- Rouge Industries, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: RGID) reported today that its primary operating subsidiary, Rouge Steel Company, resumed production operations at its "B" blast furnace following a 14-day outage.

On September 17, Rouge Steel's iron and steel making facilities were temporarily idled when an oxygen supply line from an outside energy supplier ruptured, curtailing the flow of oxygen to the Company's blast furnaces and basic oxygen furnaces. There were no injuries. Rouge Steel's facilities and equipment sustained no property damage as a result of the incident. The oxygen line and the Company's larger "C" blast furnace were returned to service on September 20.

The Company estimates that it lost 65,000 tons of slab production related to this event, but carries a significant inventory of in-process and finished steel products for its customers and expects to continue to support customer requirements.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking information about the Company. A number of factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including changes in the general economic or political climate, the supply of or demand for and the pricing of steel products in the Company's markets, plant operating performance, product quality, potential environmental liabilities, the availability and prices of raw materials, supplies, utilities and other services and items required by the Company's operations, the level of imports and import prices in the Company's markets, the availability of sufficient cash to support the Company's operations and higher than expected costs. For further information on these and other factors that could impact the Company and the statements contained herein, reference should be made to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.