Release Details

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Forest Products® (Nasdaq: UFPI) today announced the opening of their 75th manufacturing facility in Jackson, Mississippi. The 38,000 square feet, 17-acre facility was purchased from Brite Wood Corporation of Madras, Oregon, and will commence operations in early January of 2000. The company is targeting $8 million to $10 million in revenue for the year 2000, and approximately $25 million in 2005.

"This facility is strategically located to better service our customer base in the Deep South," said William G. Currie, UFPI's chief executive officer. "Currently, customers in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana are serviced from our Georgia and Eastern Texas facilities. This new location will reduce customer response times and significantly reduce our freight cost. Initially, we plan to produce products for three of our four key markets, including the D-I-Y home centers, industrial, and manufactured housing markets. We will consider adding engineered wood components for the site-built construction market at some point in the future," concluded Currie.

Universal Forest Products® markets, manufactures, and engineers, products for DIY 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 Universal Forest Products® on the Internet, please contact the company's investor relations web site at www.ufpi.com , or call 1-888-Buy-UFPI.

Included in this report are certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the Company's management as well as on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual results could differ materially from those included in such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty. These risk factors and additional information are included in the company's reports on Form 10K and 10Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Universal Forest Products

CONTACT: Charles R. Felix, Sr. V.P. Development, or Elizabeth A. Nickels, Chief Financial Officer, both of Universal Forest Products, 616-364-6161, or General Info., Tad Gage, 312-640-6745, or Analyst Contact, Claire Koeneman, 312-640-6784, both of The Financial Relations Board for Universal Forest Products/