Commonwealth Industries and Wise Alloys Form Strategic Alliance to Market Commonwealth Aluminum-Branded Wide-Width Coil Products.

Business Editors

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 2003

Commonwealth Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ/NM:CMIN) and Wise Alloys, Muscle Shoals, Ala., today announced a five-year strategic alliance under which the Company will market Commonwealth Aluminum-branded, wide-width coil products manufactured by Wise Alloys.

In this alliance, Commonwealth Aluminum will offer its customers an expanded Commonwealth Aluminum-branded, wide-width product line, 72 inches to 108 inches wide. Wise Alloys will manufacture the wide-width coil products for Commonwealth Aluminum, utilizing its high-quality, wide-width, casting and rolling technology.

The combination of Wise Alloy's wide-width manufacturing expertise, and Commonwealth Aluminum's marketing, sales, solutions engineering and customer service presence will add value for customers by enhancing product availability, reducing order administration, and improving inventory control and delivery logistics.

This agreement strengthens Commonwealth Aluminum's ability to better serve the Trailer Roof Coil, Ultra-Wide Boat Sheet and Brite Diamond Tread Sheet markets. It also offers all Commonwealth Aluminum customers a broader range of complementary products, from a single source, one dedicated to delivering advanced aluminum solutions and high customer satisfaction. For more information about Commonwealth Aluminum, visit www.commonwealthaluminum.com.

Commonwealth Industries is one of North America's leading manufacturers of aluminum sheet for distributors and the transportation, construction, and consumer durables end-use markets. The Company has direct-chill casting facilities in Kentucky and continuous casting mini-mills in Ohio and California. Commonwealth also is a leading manufacturer of innovative electrical products through its Alflex operations in California and North Carolina. For more information about the Company, visit Commonwealth's website at www.ciionline.com.

Certain statements set forth above, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding the Company's and its subsidiaries' expected future financial position, results of operation, cash flows, funds from operations, dividends, financing plans, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, capital expenditures, competitive positions and growth opportunities are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which the Company is unable to predict or control, that may cause the Company's actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors may include, without limitation, the effect of global economic conditions, the ability to achieve the level of cost savings or productivity improvements anticipated by management, the effect (including possible increases in the cost of doing business) resulting from war or terrorist activities or political uncertainties, the ability to successfully implement new marketing and sales strategies, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product development and commercialization, availability and cost of critical raw materials, product demand and market acceptance risks, capacity and supply constraints or difficulties, the success of the Company in implementing its business strategy, and other risks as detailed in the Company's various filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.