"The Beginning of a New Era for Aegis"...
 
As we turn the page on what can only be described as a very "unusual" 2008, the Aegis team is energized to tackle the challenges and opportunities that we and our fabricator partners face in 2009.
 
Although the dual challenges of recession and credit freeze weigh heavily on the commercial construction market, we remain optimistic that 2009 can be a respectable year for both Aegis and our customers.  The massive capital infusion by the Federal Reserve, combined with the likely even-more-massive stimulus package proposed by the incoming Obama Administration, should have a positive impact at some point in 2009. We remain hopeful that this will translate into "unfrozen" commercial projects, as well as substantial new government, military, and institutional work. Click here to learn more about the proposed $41 billion in funding for local school districts contained in the stimulus plan.   

However, for the Aegis team, the truly exciting news is our "Homecoming." On January 1, 2009, Aegis Metal Framing officially became a division of MiTek, and as such, part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies. 
 
From the start, we have been welcomed with open arms, and MiTek is truly excited to have Aegis "back in the fold" so to speak. On behalf of Chairman and CEO, Gene Toombs and the entire MiTek team, we offer our heartfelt "Welcome!" to all our fabricator partners.
 
As a loyal Aegis customer, you can be confident that our integration into MiTek will bring tremendous downstream opportunities for your business.  Aegis will be part of the world's largest supplier of technology-enabled solutions for the building components industry.  MiTek's software development resources are unrivaled, and Aegis will leverage these to further advance our software offerings, including the "next generation" Steel Engine-product.  Furthermore, being a part of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway family of companies will help ensure continuity of supply and financial strength in these uncertain economic times.
 
Currently, the planning process is underway for relocating our Ultra-Span® roll forming lines to MiTek's Edenton, NC facility.  We have assembled a top notch team of key MiTek and Aegis executives to oversee this process.  In addition, we are pleased to welcome on board Ryan Cook.  Ryan will formally join Aegis as Roll Form Operations Manager as soon as the four production lines from Dietrich's Rock Hill plant are relocated to Edenton. The target date will most likely be April 1st, 2009. Ryan has extensive experience in starting up new roll forming operations, and he is 100% committed to a smooth and seamless transition.
 
Over the past few weeks a number of fabricators have asked me, "Why Edenton, NC?"  The simple answer is that the Edenton plant is MiTek's largest and most productive facility, with the lowest labor AND steel costs.  This will allow us to provide our fabricators with extremely competitive pricing, with the added bonus of single site sourcing. No more "USC from this plant and USD from that plant"!
 
I could wax on for pages about the positive impact that the MiTek acquisition will have for our fabricator partners.  However, time is short and there is a LOT of work still to be done.  I will close then by saying, "Thank you in advance for your patience and support, and, as always, thank you for your business!"
 
Best regards,

Tom Valvo
President