OREANDA-NEWS. Gerdau’s operations in the U.S. cities of Midlothian, Calvert City, Jacksonville, and San Diego received the Community Involvement Recognition Award conferred by the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), a leading association focused on the steel industry in the United States. The recognition was related to the strong participation of the Company’s employees in social responsibility projects developed in their respective communities, as well as social investments in education and community building actions.

Gerdau’s efforts in the area of social responsibility have as their pillars education, quality management, and community support. In 2012, BRL 52.7 million were invested in more than 900 social projects in the world.

Gerdau is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special 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 around the world it transforms, each year, millions of metric tons of scrap into steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 140,000 shareholders, the Company is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York and Madrid.