Spring Lake's Trex Boardwalk Reaches Ten-Year Milestone; Showcase Project's Longevity Demonstrates Benefits of Trex Decking.

Business Editors

SPRING LAKE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 31, 2003

On December 11, 1992, a devastating Nor'easter storm badly damaged the Spring Lake boardwalk, which was constructed of pressure-treated lumber. Mayor Thomas J. Byrne III, who remains the town's mayor today, went on a quest to find a better boardwalk material that would stand up to the oceanside weather and the millions of pedestrians who visit the beach community each year. He discovered Trex decking, at the time a newcomer to the building products market, made with recycled/reclaimed plastic and waste wood that was touted as a rot-free, splinter-free alternative to the problems of wood.

After researching the code compliance and properties of Trex decking, Mayor Byrne and the town council approved the building material for the new boardwalk. Construction began in early 1993, under the guidance of Birdsall Engineering of Eatontown, N.J., and was completed in July of that year.

"After ten years, we're still getting compliments on the boardwalk," said Mayor Byrne. "We're very pleased with it, and if we had the opportunity, would do it again."

Initially a mile and a half in length, the Trex boardwalk was expanded another mile from the pavilion to the town's stone arches in the spring of 1997. Mayor Byrne said the Trex surface has not required sealants for protection as the wood had, substantially reducing maintenance costs. It has also eliminated pedestrian splinter injuries. In fact, the Splinter Station, an old standby at the beach, no longer exists. Many joggers have also commented that the surface is "more forgiving" and there has been a noticeable absence of popped nail heads, a common problem with wood after it ages and shrinks.

As the Trex boardwalk continued to withstand harsh winters, hot summers and millions of beach-goers walking on it each season, the neighboring town of Belmar took notice. Mayor Kenneth Pringle and the town council approved Trex for a section of their town's boardwalk in 1998, as did the town of Sea Girt on the other side of Spring Lake.

Both Mayor Byrne and Mayor Pringle feel good about the decision to use Trex for the boardwalks, because of the safety, environmental and low-maintenance aspects.

In addition to boardwalks and walking trails, Trex decking has become popular for backyard decks as well. In fact, alternatives to wood decking have given rise to a $500 million industry, with Trex accounting for about 50% of the alternative decking market.

At the end of this year, lumber treated with "CCA" (Copper Chromated Arsenate) will no longer be manufactured and sold for residential use, in accordance with an agreement between the wood treaters industry and the EPA. There were questions about the long-term health risks of this lumber, which contains a form of arsenic. Trex management feels this action will drive even more homeowners, contractors and municipalities to consider alternatives.

Trex decking and railing is code-listed by the nation's three major building code agencies (BOCA, SBCCI and ICBO) and meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for slip-resistant walking surfaces. Trex is sold at approximately 3,300 lumberyards in the U.S. and Canada. For a Trex decking and railing dealer near you, call 1-800-BUY-TREX (289-8739) or visit www.trex.com.

Trex(R) and Trex Wood-Polymer(R) are trademarks of Trex Company, Inc., Winchester, Va.

This news release contains forward-looking statements about the Company's future business prospects. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual operating results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements, including the extent of market acceptance of the Company's products, the sensitivity of the Company's business to general economic conditions, and the highly competitive markets in which the Company operates.