Rautaruukki initiates legal proceedings to prot...

Rautaruukki Corporation  Stock exchange release 21 December 2009  at 14.00

Rautaruukki Corporation has initiated legal proceedings to protect its Ruukki
trademark and to end infringement of the use of its Ruukki name. The company has
taken legal action in Helsinki District Court against Ruukki Group Plc and its
subsidiaries owing to increases in the registration of certain company names and
owing to business activities. Rautaruukki does not accept other companies
selling their products under the Ruukki brand in the registered trademark
classes and fields where Ruukki is well-known.

Rautaruukki has initiated legal proceedings also in certain different countries
where the name of another company has been registered under Rautaruukki’s
registered trademark. Rautaruukki has operations in 27 countries and its Ruukki
trademark is registered or registration is pending in a total of 95 countries.

Ruukki Group Plc, which has been served with legal action concerning the
infringement of Rautaruukki’s right to use the Ruukki trademark and company
name, has expanded its operations into Rautaruukki’s business area in the
minerals and mining business and in building construction. Ruukki Group has also
begun to use commercial identification and company names that are being confused
with the Ruukki trademark and name. This has consequently resulted in
considerable confusion both in the media and among Rautaruukki’s stakeholders
such as investors and customers.

Rautaruukki’s sole right to the Ruukki trademark in Rautaruukki’s lines of
business is not only based on registration, but also particularly on long use of
the trademark and the recognition established by significant marketing efforts.
Rautaruukki has been using the Ruukki name in marketing since the 1970s, in, for
example, Ruukki’s ready-painted roofing products. In addition, the names of
Rautaruukki Corporation’s subsidiaries in different countries have been
registered as beginning with the name Ruukki. The official stock exchange name
of Rautaruukki is known and used solely in Finland, where the company was
founded.

In the district court, court of appeal and market court, Rautaruukki has won
earlier cases in matters concerning use of name brought by Ruukki Group Plc,
which in these cases was ordered to compensate Rautaruukki’s legal costs.

For further information, please contact:
Taina Kyllönen, SVP, Marketing, tel. +358 20 592 9040
Olli Huuskonen, General Counsel, tel. +358 20 592 9300

See earlier releases about decisions:

5 February 2008 Rautaruukki won also Market Court dispute about use of name
Ruukki
<

http://www.ruukki.com/www/news.nsf/PEBY/934B200C31032C99C22574AA0026DC56?opendo
cument>
26 October 2007 Rautaruukki won dispute concerning use of name Ruukki
<

http://www.ruukki.com/www/news.nsf/PEBY/917DF385741B4929C22574AA0026DD60?opendo
cument>
16 November 2006 Rautaruukki entitled to use the name Ruukki
<

http://www.ruukki.com/www/news.nsf/PEBY/4B3B8B18B25774D1C22574AA0026E0BD?opendo
cument>

Rautaruukki supplies metal-based components, systems and total solutions to the
construction and engineering industries. The company has a wide selection of
metal products and services. Rautaruukki has operations in 27 countries and
employs 12,200 people. Net sales in 2008 totalled EUR 3.9 billion. The company's
share is quoted on OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki (Rautaruukki Oyj: RTRKS). The
Corporation uses the marketing name Ruukki.


[HUG#1365642]