UFPI Company Profile

Universal Forest Products, Inc. is a holding company with subsidiaries throughout North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia that supply wood, wood composite and other products to three primary markets: retail, industrial, and construction. The Company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., and was founded in 1955. For more information about Universal Forest Products, Inc., or its affiliated operations, go to www.ufpi.com.

We design, manufacture and market wood and wood-alternative products for national home centers and other retailers, structural lumber and other products for the manufactured housing industry, engineered wood components for residential and commercial construction, specialty wood packaging, components and packing materials for various industries, and customized interior fixtures used in a variety of retail stores, commercial and other structures. Each of our markets, Retail, Industrial and Construction, are discussed in the paragraphs which follow. Our locations generally serve customers representing multiple markets.

We currently supply customers in this market from many of our locations. These regional facilities are able to supply mixed truckloads of products which can be delivered to customers with rapid turnaround from receipt of an order. Freight costs are a factor in the ability to competitively service this market, especially with treated wood products because of their heavier weight. The close proximity of our regional facilities to the various outlets of these customers is a factor when negotiating annual sales programs.

The products offered to customers in this market include dimensional lumber (both preserved and unpreserved) and various "value-added products," some of which are sold under our trademarks. In addition to our conventional lumber products, we offer a large portfolio of outdoor living products, including wood composite decking and decorative lawn and garden products. We also sell engineered wood components to this market, which include roof trusses, wall panels and engineered floor systems.

We are not aware of any competitor that currently manufactures, treats and distributes a full line of both value-added and commodity products on a national basis. We face competition on individual products from several different producers, but the majority of these competitors tend to be regional in their efforts and/or do not offer a full line of outdoor lumber products. We believe the breadth of our product offering, geographic dispersion, close proximity of our plants to core customers, purchasing and manufacturing expertise, and service capabilities provide competitive advantages in this market.

We define our industrial market as manufacturers and agricultural customers who use pallets, specialty crates, wooden boxes, and other containers used for packaging, shipping and material handling purposes, as well as various other products, used in a variety of different applications. Many of the products sold to this market may be produced from the by-product of other manufactured products, thereby allowing us to increase our raw material yields while expanding our business. Competition is fragmented and includes virtually every supplier of lumber convenient to the customer. We service this market with our dedicated local sales teams and through national sales support efforts.