Palmetto Brick Company Announces $25 Million Expansion; Company Growth Includes New Facility, 50% Production Increase and 20 New Employees.

CHERAW, S.C. -- Palmetto Brick Company today announces a $25 million expansion to its Cheraw, S.C. headquarters, increasing residential and commercial brick production by 50%, from 100 to 150 million brick per year. The company expects to add 20 new employees to fulfill the organization's increased manufacturing capacity.

Construction of the new plant is expected to last 10 months, and production will begin in October 2005. The expanded facilities will produce modular engineer, closure and utility sizes, creating six to seven new types of brick. The new facility will focus on commercial brick manufacturing, allowing the current plant to expand its residential brick output.

"Chesterfield County's been right at double-digit unemployment for awhile now, so this announcement is obviously a nice shot in the arm," said Governor Mark Sanford. "Palmetto Brick is a perfect example of the kind of company that can continue to grow and expand given the right kind of business climate, so it's our job in Columbia to keep pushing for changes that make that possible. For us, that starts with income tax relief that will improve our business climate and stimulate additional economic growth in Chesterfield County and beyond."

Palmetto Brick began planning for this company expansion in early 2003. The new facility will be located on the premises of the current manufacturing site at the corporate headquarters and will include two separate production buildings. Once completed, there will be a building dedicated strictly to manufacturing residential brick and one for commercial brick. The breakdown for residential to commercial production will be 50/50.

"We are very excited about expanding our current facilities in Cheraw," said Andy Rogers, vice president of sales and marketing, Palmetto Brick Company. "Adding 50% to our production capacity allows us to better serve our existing customers and continue to grow as a successful, American owned and operated brick manufacturer and distributor."

The new commercial brick facility will meet the needs of architects and brick distributors nationwide through guaranteed job lots. Palmetto Brick guarantees that all brick orders will be completed on a single run and stored on the Palmetto Brick lot until shipment. These job lots ensure color consistency for each order made through Palmetto Brick from first shipment to the last. Sometimes other brick manufacturers produce and ship partial orders, creating possible color inconsistencies on a single job site. With no job lot guarantee, sites may lose dollars and time.

"Palmetto Brick's expansion is fantastic news for the brick industry," said Pete Cieslak, director, Brick Southeast, Inc. "Growth of this magnitude is encouraging for our industry, especially coming in a locally owned and operated company. Palmetto Brick is truly an American success story having a longstanding heritage and now moving forward with continued growth and prosperity."

Palmetto Brick Company is one of the only remaining family-owned brick manufacturing companies within the United States in service today. Palmetto Brick has successfully manufactured and distributed brick through four generations. Surviving in a tremendously competitive international market, Palmetto Brick is one of the top contenders in the building materials industry with their hallmark 100% American-made brick products.

"We're delighted that Palmetto Brick has chosen to continue its prosperity in South Carolina," said Commerce Secretary Bob Faith. "This company is dedicated to adding value for its customers, and we applaud this effort to take its success to the next level."

"This is a day I thought would never come," said Rogers. "It humbles me to be a part of such a strong organization, run by great employees dedicated to producing the best brick product we know how. I hope for many more years of continued success for Palmetto Brick Company."

About Palmetto Brick Company

Headquartered in Cheraw, S.C., Palmetto Brick Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of J.L. Anderson Co. and is South Carolina's largest family owned and operated brick manufacturer. Palmetto Brick currently operates in five locations between North and South Carolina including: Roger Moore Division, Wilmington, N.C., Union Masonry, Monroe, N.C., Florence Division, Florence, S.C., Waccamaw Brick, Myrtle Beach, S.C and Cheraw, S.C. Palmetto's products are carried in three body types, red, brown and kaolin and three different brick sizes, Modular, Queensize, Oversize, and are readily available at all times. Marking nearly a century of business operations, Palmetto Brick prides itself on being a 100% American-made company. Palmetto Brick is a proud member of the Brick Industry Association. For more information, please visit www.palmettobrick.com or call [phone].