Media

WARREN, OHIO, July 6, 2007 - WCI Steel, Inc. (OTC: WCIS.PK) announced today that Patrick G. Tatom has retired as president, chief executive officer and a member of the Board of Directors effective immediately. Michael C. Buenzow has been appointed to serve as the company’s interim president and chief executive officer while a search for a permanent replacement is under way. Mr. Buenzow is a senior managing director at FTI Consulting Inc., with broad experience in assisting companies improve operations and drive long-term positive change.

     Jack W. Sights, chairman of the Board of Directors of WCI Steel, said: “Mike Buenzow has an established record of successfully leading businesses that are confronting change, He is a results-oriented individual with a proven ability to rapidly restore profitability in a highly competitive business environment.”

     WCI Steel also reported that second quarter financial results will be lower than previously expected. Although June results are not finalized, second quarter shipments were 284,000 tons in line with prior guidance. The EBITDA loss for the second quarter is expected to be approximately $10 million as a result of the previously disclosed outages in April and early May. The lingering impact of the outages, combined with weakness in key markets and escalating raw material costs, contributed to the shortfall.

     Sights continued: “We appreciate Pat Tatom’s service to WCI Steel and wish him the best in his future endeavors. We expect that under Mike’s leadership, combined with an increased focus on customer service, quality and cost reduction, WCI Steel will return to profitability. We are committed to being faster and more aggressive in reaching profitability and leading WCI Steel to a brighter future.”

About WCI Steel. Inc.
     WCI Steel’s strength is built on “Custom Steel. Custom Service. Creative Solutions.” As an integrated producer of value-added, custom steel products serving niche markets, WCI Steel emphasizes customer and technical service. WCI Steel currently produces 185 grades of flat-rolled custom and commodity steel products at its Warren, Ohio facility. WCI Steel focuses on a wide range of custom flat-rolled steel products, including high carbon, alloy, ultra high strength, and heavy-gauge galvanized steel and on developing closer, more responsive relationships with customers, Major customers are steel converters, processors, service centers, construction product companies, and to a lesser extent, automobile manufacturers.

Forward-Looking Statements

Information contained in this release, other than historical information, should be considered “forward-looking statements” within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

WCI Steel cautions that there are various important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such indicated events will occur. Among such factors are: general economic and business conditions; demand for WCI Steel’s products; changes in industry capacity and levels of impoits of steel or steel products; industry trends, including product pricing, competition; the loss of any significant customer; pricing and availability of raw materials and energy; power outages or curtailments; availability of qualified personnel; ability to train the existing workforce; plant operating performance; major equipment failures; the timing and completion of capital projects; changes in, or the failure or inability to comply with, government regulation, including, without limitation, environmental regulations; the outcome of legal matters and other risk factors. Except as required by law, WCI Steel does not assume any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or events.

WCI Steel, Inc. Contacts:
ANALYSTS: Cynthia B. Bezik, Vice President and CFO, 330-841-8301
MEDIA: Belinda Cavender, 330-841-8214



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