Brick Association of the Carolinas and Southern Brick Institute Merge to Form Leading Brick Trade Organization.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Brick Association of the Carolinas (BAC) and Southern Brick Institute (SBI) are pleased to announce the merger of their organizations to create the leading trade association dedicated to the advancement of brick products in the Southeastern portion of the United States.

As of January 1, 2005, the new organization became Brick SouthEast and now serves a nine-state region including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. All member companies of both BAC and SBI became members of Brick SouthEast.

"This exciting step of bringing together two strong organizations will undoubtedly assist us in achieving our goal of advancing the benefits of brick," said Michael Borden, who will serve as 2005 Chairman of Brick SouthEast. "Both organizations have made significant impact in their respected markets and this new synergy will leverage the available intellectual capital, in-depth experience and expanded resources to provide a winning partnership for our members, consumers and ultimately the industry as a whole."

The merger provides member companies a range of growth opportunities and programs that can be utilized to help meet their unique needs, including expanded marketing and educational programs for consumers, builders and architects, as well as technical support to help serve the expanded territories.

The combined territories of BAC and SBI represent a major brick market area. Manufacturers in these states produce more than 50 percent of the U.S. brick supply. The new organization is made up of the largest and smallest brick companies in the world. By joining forces, it uniquely positions Brick SouthEast members to better serve this dynamic market.

Brick SouthEast is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, with a second office in Atlanta, GA. Peter Cieslak will serve as executive director of the new organization. Brick SouthEast is comprised of 17 brick manufacturing company members including Boral Bricks, Inc.; Carolina Ceramics Brick Company; Cherokee Brick & Tile Company; Columbus Brick Company; Cunningham Brick Company; General Shale Brick; Hanson Brick; Henry Brick Company; Jenkins Brick Company; Lee Brick Company; New London Brick Works; Old Carolina Brick Company; Palmetto Brick Company; Pine Hall Brick Company, Inc.; Statesville Brick Company; Taylor Clay Products Company; and Triangle Brick Company. Brick SouthEast is affiliated with the national Brick Industry Association. For more information, visit www.gobricksoutheast.com.

About Brick Southeast

The 17-member companies of Brick SouthEast produce more than half of the brick supply in the United States and represent both the largest and smallest brick manufacturers in the world. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, with a second office in Atlanta, GA, Brick SouthEast is dedicated to the advancement of brick products in the Southeastern United States, providing support for consumer marketing, professional educational programs and industry development. The nine-state territory includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Brick Southeast is affiliated with the Brick Industry Association, which is the national association for brick manufacturers and distributors.

About Brick Association of the Carolinas:

Tracing its roots back to the 1940s, the Brick Association of the Carolinas was comprised of leading brick manufacturers who worked in collaboration to create a strong brick market. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, the Brick Association of the Carolinas (BAC) was dedicated to promoting brick as the preferred building material for home and commercial construction. Representing 13 brick manufacturers in North and South Carolina, BAC offered a wide array of educational and technical services for homebuyers, builders, masons and architects. BAC was affiliated with the Brick Industry Association (formerly the Brick Institute of America), the national association of brick manufacturers and distributors, located in Reston, Virginia.

About Southern Brick Institute:

The Southern Brick Institute was a regional trade association funded by the brick manufacturers located in the seven states it served: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, the Southern Brick Institute (SBI) was the largest single regional brick marketing organization in the United States. Its primary goal was to provide a favorable environment for the development and improvement of markets for brick. For more than 50 years, SBI, a continuation of the Southern Brick and Tile Manufacturers Association and the Brick Institute of America Region Nine, had pursued this goal through programs of consumer advertising, education and manpower development. SBI was affiliated with the Brick Industry Association (formerly the Brick Institute of America), the national association of brick manufacturers and distributors, located in Reston, Virginia.