Press Releases

VERSACORE PRECAST CONCRETE PANELS PROVIDE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND DURABILITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- July 1, 2004

SAVAGE, Minn. ? July 1, 2004 ? From March until early July, the Central Plains through the Great Lakes cope with peak tornado season, making structural integrity paramount for building owners. When a deadly F3 tornado, packing winds of up to 206 mph, ripped through northern Indiana in 2001, Busk Brothers Furniture was in its direct path. Pre-engineered steel and masonry buildings on both sides were severely damaged or destroyed, but Busk Brothers sustained only very minor cosmetic damage. The selection of building materials played a key role in minimizing loss and damage.

That's because Panzica Building Corporation made the decision to use precast concrete panels manufactured by Fabcon. Fabcon's VersaCore? panels provide exceptional structural integrity and durability, helping to protect building occupants and material assets from a variety of demanding conditions, such as wind, force and fire.

"The high-density foam-core construction of VersaCore precast panels make them an ideal choice over other building material options, such as wood or metal," said Mike Le Jeune, president and CEO, Fabcon. "VersaCore panels have proven to provide superior structural strength and protection against fire, wind and a host of other potentially damaging environmental conditions."

VersaCore's unique design helps resist structural damage caused by extreme forces. Each panel continuously bonds together the tensile strength of steel and the compressive strength of concrete to deliver maximum structural integrity and superior protection against potentially damaging forces.

The noncombustible concrete material inherent in VersaCore precast concrete panels also enables them to effectively serve as structural fire protection barriers. Unlike buildings constructed with wood, which also must be equipped with sprinkler systems in order to actively protect against fire, VersaCore panels guard against fire without an additional sprinkler system.

For more information about Fabcon's VersaCore precast concrete panels visit www.fabcon-usa.com.

[Editor Note: Digital photos of Busk Brothers Furniture and the VersaCore panel are available upon request. Email Nissa French at nfrench@psbpr.com]

Company Background
Fabcon, an ISO 9001 registered manufacturer, which produces and installs precast concrete panels throughout the Midwest and Eastern United States and Canada, operates production facilities in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The company has completed more than 8,000 precast projects and is celebrating 35 years as a leader in the precast concrete business. Since 1971, Fabcon has manufactured, delivered and installed precast wall panels for virtually every type of structure. Fabcon's experience helping customers accomplish their building goals includes 10,000 square-foot retail stores, million-square-foot distribution centers, and 16-story housing facilities. Visit www.fabcon-usa.com for more information.

For Further Information
Scott Jenkins:
952-882-7206; scott.jenkins@fabcon-usa.com
Madeline Riggs:
612-455-1755;
mriggs@psbpr.com