The Parksite Group acquires specialty wholesale distributor, Eastern Distributors Inc.

Batavia, IL (May 2, 2005) – Parksite, Inc. announces its acquisition of Eastern Distributors Co., Inc, a Pennsylvania based building materials distributor currently distributing the DuPont Tyvek® Weatherization System Products, Masonite Entry Doors, Mid America Building Products, USG Ceilings, and other specialty products, in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delmarva Peninsula markets. The acquisition is effective immediately.
The Parksite Group markets branded and specialty building products through three business units, Parksite Plunkett-Webster (PPW), Parksite Surfaces (PS), and Parksite Appliance Solutions (PAS). PPW represents DuPont Tyvek® Weatherization Systems, Trex® Easy Care Decking®, Azek® Trimboards, specialty Cedar, Nichiha Wall Systems and various other building products. Under the PPW umbrella, there are two divisions, ELS, Earth Landscape Solutions serving the lawn & garden industry and Millwork Unlimited, which creates custom and standard millwork items from cellular pvc. DuPont Corian®, DuPont Zodiaq®, and Natural Stone (Granite) are some of the products available through Parksite Surfaces. Parksite Appliance Solutions partners with Electrolux Home Products as their Authorized Contract Wholesaler (ACW) to develop appliance sales in the new construction segment.

In May, 2000, Parksite, Inc. purchased Plunkett-Webster, Inc. an east coast based wholesale distribution company specializing in building products, establishing Parksite Plunkett-Webster (PPW), followed by the 2001 acquisition of Metro Sloan Distribution, Pittsford, NY, expanding the Parksite Surfaces geographical territory to include Florida, the Caribbean, Northwest New York and Northern Illinois. Through acquisition, the company dates back to 1915, and is at the forefront of the evolving building industry. “Our role in the supply chain goes several steps beyond that of a typical wholesale distributor. We educate industry influencers and the customers of our direct customers, creating pull-through demand for the products that we represent. That demand creation capability allows Parksite to significantly reduce the time it takes for new products to gain market acceptance. We help build brands.” explains Ron Heitzman, Vice President and CFO.

This acquisition is on target with The Parksite Group’s five-year plan. “The purchase of Eastern Distributors enables us to expand our territorial coverage of DuPont Tyvek® to twenty-six states east of the Mississippi”, states President and CEO, George Pattee. “Not only will we be able to better serve our customers logistically, we will be able to offer all customers a more diverse product line. Also, in 2005, Parksite will expand their outdoor living category, develop and increase the deck and railing category, strategize with key suppliers on innovative building materials and seek future acquisitions. Within the next several years, focus will be on internal and geographical expansion, product diversification, and pursing new opportunities to achieve their corporate strategy. As part of the five-year plan, The Parksite Group will concentrate on Associate career development and specialized training.

A 100% employee owned company, Parksite firmly believes their success is directly attributable to their employees. According to Pattee, “Every one of our Associates is dedicated to contributing to the success of both our customers and our suppliers. Owners produce the best results with integrity and honesty, and by doing that Parksite is successful as well. The dedication and excitement that is generated when everyone is an owner is extraordinary.”

The Parksite Group is corporately located in Batavia, IL, with locations in Apex, NC; Baltimore, MD; Batavia, IL; Bensenville, IL; Cary, NC; Huntsville, AL; Larchmont, NY; Louisville, OH; Nashville, TN; Pittsford, NY; Rancho Cucamonga, CA; South Plainfield, NJ; South Windsor, CT; Syracuse, NY; Tampa, FL; West Chicago, IL.