Press Releases Conforma Clad Named Finalist for Global Energy Award New Albany, Indiana — (October 27, 2003) Conforma Clad Inc, a leading provider of severe wear solutions for industrial parts, has been selected as a finalist for the 2003 Platts Global Energy Award for Most Innovative Commercial Technology. Conforma Clad was chosen because of the practical application of its innovative technology for demonstrated tangible value in coal-fired power plants. The selection criteria for the award are market-inspired innovation, commercial availability, technologically proven results, and practicality, reliability, and overall commercial success. The Platts Global Energy Awards, the most prestigious awards program in the energy industry, selected Conforma Clad as 1 of only 6 finalists for this award. The awards ceremony will take place Friday, December 12, 2003 at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. “Selection for such a prestigious award is an honor,” said Power Generation Manager Scott Trunkett. “By making critical parts last longer and hold tolerances, Conforma Clad is proud to contribute to enhancing the economic and environmental viability of coal-fired power plants and supporting their essential role in generating the electricity we all need.” With its proprietary brazed tungsten carbide cladding, Conforma Clad has enabled operators of coal-fired power plants to solve critical wear problems on a wide variety of fan blade, burner, ash conveyance, and pulverizer components. Conforma Clad has proven its performance with protected parts installed in over 70 plants. Parts that required maintenance or replacement every 6-12 months are now lasting 2 to 4 or more years, enabling power plants to reduce downtime and keep generating electricity. Conforma Clad is a leading solutions provider for industrial applications involving severe erosion, abrasion, corrosion, and/or critical tolerances. For example, Conforma Clad is the major supplier of radial bearings used in directional drilling for oil and gas; for the plastic and foods industries, Conforma Clad provides wear-resistant extruder barrels, liners and screws. Platts is the global leader in providing energy information and reliable worldwide energy industry news. Additional information can be found at www.platts.