Release Details

Universal Forest Products Purchases Assets of GeoMatrix; Expands Reach in the Consumer Products Market

August 21, 2006

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 2006--Universal Forest Products, Inc. (Nasdaq:UFPI) today announced that a wholly-owned subsidiary has acquired the assets and assumed certain liabilities of GeoMatrix, Inc., a leading developer and supplier of plastic lattice and other proprietary plastic products. The company's 2005 sales were approximately $19 million.

The purchase adds a respected supplier of an increasingly popular product, plastic lattice, to the Universal family and expands the breadth of products Universal offers to the Do-It-Yourself/retail market.

"GeoMatrix has a solid customer base, an outstanding track record and reputation for its products and service, and is the leader in its product lines," said Universal CEO Michael B. Glenn. "The company fits well with our strategies for acquisition and for growth."

GeoMatrix offers plastic lattice panels in five styles, ten colors and two sizes to retailers nationwide and is the leading supplier of this product. The company also sells other products like plastic privacy screens, decorative polymer fencing and plastic pegboard.

GeoMatrix was founded in 1997 by Dick Cantley and operates from offices in Troy, Michigan. Another partner, Bob Erickson, joined the company in 1998. Cantley will work as a consultant to Universal; Erickson will work for Universal and will help guide the transition of the operations.

GeoMatrix becomes the latest acquisition by Universal's wholly owned subsidiary, Universal Consumer Products. Last year, Universal announced the acquisition of several companies, including Maine Ornamental Woodworkers and DecKorators, which supply decorative caps for fence and deck posts, and decorative balusters, respectively, to home improvement retailers and distributors nationwide. Universal also expanded production and distribution of its Latitudes(R) composite decking and railing lines and added eon(R) polymer decking to its portfolio to grow its consumer products business.

Universal Forest Products markets, manufactures and engineers wood and wood-alternative products for D-I-Y 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. The Company also provides framing services for the site-built sector. Universal has approximately 10,000 employees who work in more than 100 locations. Sales for 2005 were nearly $2.7 billion. For information about Universal, please visit the Company's Web site at http://www.ufpi.com , or call 888-Buy-UFPI.

CONTACT: Universal Forest Products, Inc. Lynn Afendoulis, 616-365-1502 SOURCE: Universal Forest Products