PGT® Begins Operations in New Salisbury, N.C., Plant

VENICE, Fla., Sept. 22, 2006 – PGT Industries, one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of custom windows and doors, has announced that operations are up and running at a new facility in Salisbury, N.C. The company purchased the Salisbury location in March to meet an increased demand for WinGuard® Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors.

PGT pioneered the U.S. impact-resistant window and door industry more than a decade ago with the development of WinGuard. The company also helped develop the toughest testing protocols in the nation for products meeting building codes pertaining to wind-borne debris and wind loading. Today, PGT is the nation’s leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors.

“We attribute the increased demand for our products to a number of factors including the development of stricter building codes regarding wind-borne debris protection in coastal areas and increased consumer awareness about the need for home hurricane protection,” said PGT President and CEO Rod Hershberger. “Consumers are realizing that WinGuard Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors not only provide effortless protection, but also can help reduce their insurance premiums.”

At 390,000 square feet, the new plant is larger than the previous facility in Lexington, N.C., only 19 miles away. New glass tempering and laminating capability that PGT added to the site is scheduled to be fully operational by the fall. By year end, there will be approximately 400 employees working at the new facility.

PGT has operated a 230,000-square-foot plant in Lexington since 2003, but since it could not be expanded to meet the company’s needs, the new plant was purchased. PGT will sell the Lexington facility.

WinGuard windows and doors combine heavy-duty aluminum or vinyl frames with impact-resistant laminated glass. A special silicone glazing process helps keep the glass from breaking away from the frame. Laminated glass is constructed by bonding a tough polyvinylbutyral (PVB) interlayer between two pieces of glass under heat and pressure. Once sealed, the glass “sandwich” behaves as a single unit and is transparent, like ordinary glass. Although wind-borne debris may crack the glass on impact, the interlayer keeps the overall window in tact, preventing destructive winds and rain from entering the home.

The same impact-resistant glass and heavy-duty construction that keeps flying objects from penetrating the windows and doors also provides a strong deterrent to intruders, thieves and vandals. The interlayer also absorbs noise and the sun’s rays, resulting in significant noise reduction and blockage of 99 percent of harmful UV rays.

Sold through a network of over 1,300 independent distributors, the company’s total line of custom windows and doors is now available throughout the eastern United States, the Gulf Coast and in a growing international market, which includes the Caribbean, South America and Australia. PGT’s product line includes PGT® Aluminum and Vinyl Windows and Doors; WinGuard® Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors; PGT® Architectural Systems; and Eze-Breeze® Sliding Panels. PGT Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT, Inc. (NASDAQ:PGTI).

For more information about the company and potential job opportunities, visit www.pgtindustries.com.

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