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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Leigh J. Abrams, CEO
Phone: (914)
428-9098 Fax:
(914) 428-4581
E
Mail: Drew@drewindustries.com
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DREW
ACQUIRES PATENT FOR RV STABILIZING SYSTEM
AND
OTHER ASSETS
White
Plains, New York - July 8, 2008 - Drew Industries Incorporated (NYSE: DW) today
reported that its wholly owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc., acquired
the patent for “JT’s Strong Arm Jack Stabilizer,” and other intellectual
properties and assets, from JT’s RV Accessories. The purchase price of $3
million was funded from available cash.
“This
stabilizing system represents a significant advance in the elimination of
side-to-side and front-to-back movement of a parked travel trailer or fifth
wheel RV. As a result, we believe this stabilizing system will quickly be
accepted by many of our customers,” said Jason Lippert, President and CEO of
Lippert Components. More information about this product can be found at
www.jtrv.com.
“The
addition of this innovative stabilizing system to our product line is another
step in our overall strategy to add value to our customers’ products and
increase our content per RV,” said Leigh J. Abrams, Drew’s CEO.
Jim
Thorpe, the President and CEO of JT’s RV Accessories, entered into a three-year
employment contract with Lippert Components. “Jim is highly creative, and we
hope to see additional innovative products from him in the years to come,” said
Jason Lippert.
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, axles, and upholstered
furniture. In addition, Drew manufactures slide-out mechanisms for RVs, and
trailers primarily for hauling boats. Currently, from 36 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933.
Forward-looking
statements, including, without limitation, those relating to our future business
prospects, revenues, expenses and income, whenever they occur in this press
release, are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of our 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. You should consider
forward-looking statements, therefore, in light of various important factors
as
identified in this press release and in our Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2007, and in our subsequent Form 10-Qs filed with the SEC.
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 the 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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