Exhibit
99.1
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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
E
Mail: Drew@drewindustries.com
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DREW
AGREES TO ACQUIRE MANUFACTURER
OF
RV FURNITURE AND RELATED PRODUCTS
White
Plains, New York -April 3, 2008 - Drew Industries Incorporated (NYSE: DW) today
reported that its wholly owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc. (“LCI”), has
agreed in principle to acquire the assets and business of Goshen, Indiana-based
Seating Technology, Inc. and its affiliated companies (“Seattech”). It is
expected that the acquisition will be funded from available cash.
Seattech
manufactures a wide variety of products primarily for towable RVs, including
folding sofas for toy hauler RVs, a full line of upholstered furniture,
mattresses, decorative pillows, wood-backed valences and quilted soft good
products. This acquisition adds an entirely new product line for Drew.
Seattech’s
sales for 2007 were approximately $40 million, which represents significant
growth from its $11 million in sales in 2003. “We look to continue this pace of
growth in 2008 as Seattech builds market share, despite the anticipated RV
industry-wide sales decline in 2008 due to current poor economic conditions,”
said Leigh J. Abrams, Drew’s President and CEO. Drew expects the acquisition of
Seattech will be immediately accretive to earnings.
Rick
Finnigan, majority owner of the Seattech companies, has agreed to enter into
a
three-year consulting contract, while Joel DeVries, Vice President of Seattech,
will enter into a three-year employment contract, and will be responsible for
Seattech’s day-to-day operations. He will report to Jason Lippert, LCI’s
President and CEO.
“Seattech’s
exceptional growth and operating success is the result of our unique approach
to
meeting customer needs,” said Rick Finnigan. “Through our personalized
partnerships with our customers, we are able to produce customized, innovative
seating products. Our cutting-edge designs and patterns break the cookie-cutter
concepts of off-the-shelf designs and provide niche solutions for
customers.”
“We
look
for Seattech to be a significant growth opportunity for LCI with these new
product lines, as we expect to leverage our extensive marketing and distribution
capabilities to our existing customers, many of whom Seattech does not presently
sell to,” said Jason Lippert.
Lippert
added: “Seattech currently operates from five factories, which LCI will lease,
and is solely a Midwest supplier to the towable RV industry. LCI will determine
the viability of using its nationwide factory network to expand the territorial
reach of Seattech’s manufacturing and marketing capabilities. In addition, we
also plan to explore other markets, such as RV motorhomes and the manufactured
housing and marine industries, in which Seattech’s products may have a potential
market.”
The
acquisition is subject to the completion of due diligence and the execution
of
definitive agreements.
About
Drew
Drew,
through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Kinro and Lippert Components, supplies
a
broad array of components for RVs and manufactured homes, including windows,
doors, chassis, chassis parts, bath and shower units, and axles. In addition,
Drew manufactures slide-out mechanisms for RVs, and trailers primarily for
hauling boats. Currently, from 31 factories located throughout the United
States, Drew serves most major national manufacturers of RVs and manufactured
homes in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Additional information about
Drew and its products can be found at www.drewindustries.com.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
press release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect
to
financial condition, results of operations, business strategies, operating
efficiencies or synergies, competitive position, growth opportunities for
existing products, plans and objectives of management, markets for the Company’s
common stock and other matters. Statements in the press release that are not
historical facts are “forward-looking statements” for the purpose of the safe
harbor provided by Section 21E of the Exchange Act and Section 27A of the
Securities Act. Forward-looking statements, including, without limitation,
those
relating to the Company’s future business prospects, revenues, expenses and
income are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of the Company’s
senior management at the time such statements were made, and involve a number
of
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those suggested by forward-looking statements. The Company does not
undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or
events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.
Forward-looking statements, therefore, should be considered in light of various
important factors.
There
are
a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could
cause actual results and events to differ materially from those described in
the
forward-looking statements. These factors include pricing pressures due to
domestic and foreign competition, costs and availability of raw materials
(particularly steel and related components, vinyl, aluminum, glass and ABS
resin), availability of retail and wholesale financing for manufactured homes
and recreational vehicles, availability and costs of labor, inventory levels
of
retailers and manufacturers, levels of repossessed manufactured homes, the
disposition into the market by FEMA, by sale or otherwise, of RVs or
manufactured homes purchased by FEMA in connection with natural disasters,
changes in zoning regulations for manufactured homes, a sales decline in either
the RV or manufactured housing industries, the financial condition of our
customers, retention of significant customers, interest rates, oil and gasoline
prices, the outcome of litigation, and adverse weather conditions impacting
retail sales. In addition, national and regional economic conditions and
consumer confidence may affect the retail sale of recreational vehicles and
manufactured homes.
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