Life-Sustaining Supply UPDATE

We continue to update you on the status of our efforts at HarbisonWalker International (HWI) to protect your supply chain of refractory products and services, as the business environment is rapidly changing in response to COVID 19.

HWI has manufacturing and distribution in many states, and as of today, Sunday, March 22, 2020, not every state has a “Shelter in Place” order. As of this date, the states that do have such an order include exceptions relating to “Essential Businesses,” allowing us to operate.

In Pennsylvania, however, the order to close “non-life sustaining businesses,” which included the category of “Clay Product and Refractory Manufacturing,” failed to clearly define businesses that should stay open. Please note that the Pennsylvania order has been and will continue to be further revised. Additionally, the Pennsylvania order includes procedures allowing for HWI to file for exemptions.

Throughout the weekend, we have been working directly with state government officials and aggressively seeking clarifications or revisions to the Pennsylvania order, as well as filing for a waiver as prescribed by the Pennsylvania State Department of Commerce and Economic Development (DCED).

As you know, the refractory products and services we provide to our customers’ industries that are explicitly permitted to remain open are vital to their manufacturing processes. HWI will support those life-sustaining industries with its broad, international network of operations, as the Pennsylvania order is further clarified, consistent with its purpose and the provisions of similar orders in other states.

Wherever applicable, HWI will work directly with state government officials and file exemptions (along with letters of support from many of our critical customers) to ensure that HWI’s entire network of operations is available to support customers. If you would like to participate by submitting a letter of support on behalf of your company, please contact your salesman. Your voice of support would contribute significantly to these efforts.

As previously noted, customer demand for HWI refractory products and services remains strong, and we are well-positioned to continue producing, selling, and servicing our products for all our customers. The security and assurance of supply to our customers is a top priority for HWI, even as we continue to take all recommended precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of our people.

We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of our customers, who have been working with us through the weekend to address this evolving situation. We are committed to providing you with factual and immediate updates, as the latest information becomes available.