OREANDA-NEWS. Gerdau believes that the growth and sustainability of a company are directly linked to building relations of mutual benefit with its chain of business, employees, and communities. That is why on February 7 and 8 the I Truckers' Meeting was held at Siderperu, Gerdau's operations in Peru. The event aimed to promote quality of life issues and safety on the roads, including doctor check-ups, health-related activities, and lectures with the local highway police. More than 100 carriers that provide services for the company attended this edition.

Activities to encourage quality of life for drivers were also held in Brazil and Colombia in 2012. The initiative is taken together by the Logistics area and by Gerdau Institute, which is responsible for the Company's social responsibility policies and guidelines. The Company invests in the development of customers and suppliers through programs of stimulus toward excellence in management and entrepreneurship, creating shared value for its entire supply chain.

Gerdau is the leader in the segment of long steel in the Americas and one of the main suppliers of special long steel in the world. With over 45,000 employees, it has industrial operations in 14 countries—in the Americas, Europe, and Asia—which together represent an installed capacity of over 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America and in the world, and transforms each year millions of tons of scrap steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. Gerdau is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York, and Madrid and has over 140,000 shareholders.