Mittal Steel and International Steel Group Announce Effectiveness of Registration Statement for Proposed Merger

Mittal Steel and International Steel Group Announce Effectiveness
of Registration Statement for Proposed Merger 


RICHFIELD, Ohio, March 11  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mittal Steel Company N.V.
("Mittal Steel") (NYSE: MT; Euronext Amsterdam) and International Steel Group
Inc. ("ISG") (NYSE:ISG) today announced that the registration statement on Form
F-4 filed by Mittal Steel with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection with the proposed merger involving ISG and Mittal Steel has been
declared effective as of March 11, 2005.  The definitive proxy
statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement, together with a
form of proxy, will be first mailed to ISG stockholders on or about Monday,
March 14, 2005.  A form of election will be mailed under separate cover to ISG
stockholders, to be used to elect cash, Mittal Steel class A common shares or a
combination of both in respect of their ISG shares, as provided in the merger
agreement.  The form of election will also be posted on ISG's website at
http://www.intlsteel.com/ .

ISG and Mittal Steel will each hold special meetings of their shareholders on
April 12, 2005, to vote on the proposed merger. ISG stockholders of record at
the close of business on March 14, 2005 will be entitled to vote on the
proposal.  The special meeting of ISG stockholders will be held at 10:00 a.m.
(New York City time), on Tuesday, April 12, 2005, at the InterContinental The
Barclay New York, 111 East 48th Street, New York, New York.  The special
meeting of Mittal Steel shareholders will be held at 3:00 p.m. (Rotterdam
time), on Tuesday, April 12, 2005, at the Hilton Hotel, Weena 10, 3012 CM
Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

The merger is subject to approval by the shareholders of both ISG and Mittal
Steel and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

About Mittal Steel Company

Mittal Steel Company is the world's most global steel company.  Formed from the
combination of Ispat International N.V. and LNM Holdings N.V., the company has
operations in fourteen countries, on four continents.  Mittal Steel encompasses
all aspects of modern steelmaking, to produce a comprehensive portfolio of both
flat and long steel products to meet a wide range of customer needs.  It serves
all the major steel consuming sectors, including automotive, appliance,
machinery and construction.

For 2004, Mittal Steel had revenues of US$22.2 billion and steel shipments of
42.1 million tons.  The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange and the
Euronext Amsterdam under the ticker symbol "MT".

About ISG

International Steel Group Inc. is one of the largest steel producers in North
America.  It ships a variety of steel products from 13 major steel producing
and finishing facilities in eight states, including hot-rolled, cold-rolled and
coated sheets, tin mill products, carbon and alloy plates, rail products and
semi-finished shapes to serve the automotive, construction, pipe and tube,
appliance, container and machinery markets.  For additional information on ISG,
visit http://www.intlsteel.com/ .

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning certain
matters, including the timing for the mailing of the definitive proxy
statement/prospectus, shareholders circular, form of proxy and form of election
to, and the special meetings of, the ISG and Mittal Steel shareholders, and the
completion of the proposed merger of ISG with Mittal Steel.  Such
forward-looking statements reflect various assumptions of management concerning
future events, and are subject to significant business, economic and
competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are unknown
and beyond our control.  For more detailed information on the risks and
uncertainties associated with the proposed merger of ISG with Mittal Steel and
Mittal Steel's and ISG's business activities, see Mittal Steel's reports filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Except as required by law,
neither Mittal Steel nor ISG undertakes any obligation to publicly update its
forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future
events, or otherwise.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

Mittal Steel has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a
registration statement on Form F-4 that includes a preliminary proxy statement
of ISG and a preliminary prospectus of Mittal Steel and other relevant
documents in connection with the proposed merger involving Mittal Steel and
ISG.  In addition, Mittal Steel will publish and make available to shareholders
of Mittal Steel, and file with Euronext Amsterdam N.V., a prospectus and
shareholders circular.  Investors and security holders are urged to carefully
read the definitive prospectus regarding the proposed merger when it becomes
available because it will contain important information and to exclusively base
their investment decision on this definitive prospectus once available. 
Investors and security holders of Mittal Steel and ISG are urged to read the
definitive proxy statement and prospectuses and other relevant materials when
they become available because they will contain important information about
Mittal Steel and ISG and the proposed merger. Investors and security holders
may obtain a free copy of these materials (when they are available) and other
documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission at the SEC's
website at http://www.sec.gov/ .  Mittal Steel and ISG and their respective
executive officers and directors may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from the ISG stockholders with respect to the proposed
merger.  Information regarding the interests of these officers and directors in
the proposed merger is included in the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus
contained in the above-referenced registration statement on Form F-4 initially
filed with the SEC on December 14, 2004, as amended.  You may obtain documents
filed with the SEC by Mittal Steel free of charge if you request them in
writing from Mittal Steel Company N.V., 15th Floor, Hofplein 20, 3032 AC
Rotterdam, The Netherlands, or by telephone at [phone].  You may also
obtain documents filed with the SEC by ISG free of charge if you request them
in writing from Investor Relations, International Steel Group Inc., 4020
Kinross Lakes Parkway, Richfield, Ohio 44286-9000, or by telephone at (330)
659-7430. 

DATASOURCE: International Steel Group Inc.



CONTACT:  Nicola Davidson, General Manager, Corporate Communications,

[phone], or T. N. Ramaswamy, Director Finance,

[phone], both of Mittal Steel; or Blaise Derrico, Manager,

Investor Relations, [phone], or Charles T. Glazer, Manager,

Communications and Public Relations, [phone], both of ISG



Web site:  http://www.intlsteel.com/ 

Copyright