FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CRESLINE -NORTHWEST SELECTS CHEHALIS, WASHINGTON
FOR NEW PLASTIC PIPE PLANT

EVANSVILLE, (Ind.) - Cresline-Northwest, LLC announced today the selection of Chehalis, Wash., as the site for its newest plastic pipe operation. Cresline-Northwest is associated with the Cresline group of plastic pipe companies and will market products made at the new facility under the Cresline trademark This site will be its seventh location.

Construction of the Chehalis site should begin in the next few weeks, with an estimated completion date of early fall, according to President Richard Schroeder. The company will employ about 40 people initially and expects to expand to about 70 employees in the first years of operation.

The new plant will serve markets in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana and provide a full range of plastic piping products in sizes ranging from ½-inch to eight inches manufactured from plastics PVC, CPVC and polyethylene. The products are sold to a wide range of customers for uses in irrigation, plumbing, water well, fiber optics, industrial and municipal service, and are currently shipped in from other company plants located outside the Pacific Northwest.

The plant will be located on a 17-acre site at 223 Maurin Road, east of Hardell Mutual Plywood Corp. A rail spur will be constructed to serve the new operation, which will contain a customer service center in addition to its manufacturing capabilities.

"This new state-of-the-art, highly-automated facility demonstrates our commitment to serve customers in the Pacific Northwest," Schroeder said. "With 60,000 square-feet for the plant and another 150,000 square-foot of outside storage, Cresline will be well equipped to continue our 50-year tradition of service and quality."

The site for the new plant was purchased from the Port of Chehalis, which was instrumental in the venture's success, according to Schroeder. "So many people were key to this project getting underway. Heidi Pehl and the Port of Chehalis, Bill Lotto with Economic Development and Buck Hubbert with Community Partners made the difference and made this happen for Chehalis," he said.

Cresline began the search for the plant's location about a year ago and investigated more than 30 locations in the Pacific Northwest before deciding on Chehalis. It announced its plans to locate a manufacturing operation in the area last fall.

"It's taken a long time, but we believe we have a premier site in Chehalis," Schroeder said. "We're excited about our plans for this operation and anxious to get underway. Chehalis is our kind of town, and we are pleased to soon be part of the community there."

Headquartered in Evansville, Ind., Cresline Plastic Pipe Co., Inc., is a leading manufacturer and marketer of plastic pipe and fittings. The company sells its full line of plastic piping products throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.