Release Details

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sep 6, 2001 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Forest Products (Nasdaq: UFPI), one of the nation's leading suppliers of structural lumber components to the manufactured housing industry, today announced it has signed an agreement as an exclusive distributor for Willamette Industries' new Will-Craft(R) D3 Engineered Floor Decking for manufactured homes.

In addition to providing Willamette with a strong distribution network, the agreement will help UFP to broaden its product line to the industry, said Mike Mordell, executive vice president of Western purchasing for UFP.

"We are very pleased to work with Willamette to bring this product to market, which we consider the best floor decking product available," Mordell said. "As the sole authorized distributor of Willamette's D3 board, we are enhancing our product line, which will not only benefit our customers, but all customers in the manufactured home industry.

"Will-Craft Engineered Decking represents the culmination of a joint effort to meet the performance demands of the manufactured home industry. Teaming up with Universal Forest Products insures products and services are offered on a nationwide basis," said Steve Killgore, General Sales Manager, Western Region, for Willamette.

Willamette's Will-Craft decking, currently available in 3/4" x 64" x PET (Precision End Trimmed) to specified lengths, is:

    *  The only fully sanded product on the market
    *  Made with fortified resins for greater dimensional stability
    *  Meets or exceeds all HUD specifications
    *  Protected by a limited lifetime warranty
    *  Fully certified under Scientific Certification Systems

About Willamette Industries, Inc.

Willamette Industries is an integrated forest products company with 105 plants, located in the U.S., France, Ireland and Mexico. The company owns 1.7 million acres of forestland in the U.S. and manages it sustainably to produce building materials, composite wood panels, fine paper, office paper products, corrugated packaging and grocery bags.

About Universal Forest Products

UFP manufactures and distributes products for do-it-yourself retail home centers, structural lumber products for the manufactured housing industry, engineered wood components for the site-built construction market and specialty wood packaging for various industries. For information about UFP, please visit the Company's web site at www.ufpi.com or call 1.800.598.9663.

SOURCE Universal Forest Products

CONTACT:

Mike Mordell, +1-970-686-5631, or Mark Deremo, +1-616-365-1557, both of Universal Forest Products /Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/916064.html