“Acquiring East Tennessee Precast represents a great opportunity to enter the Knoxville, Tennessee market, which is a natural geographic extension from our current Western Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina markets,” said Joan Blecha, Hanson’s Southeast region president. “Expansion into this market is in line with Hanson’s growth strategy.”

Hanson Building Products North America’s President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Manning added, “We are proud to become a part of Lenoir City and produce infrastructure for much of the area’s systems that keep the community safe and water clean.”

Nearly 50 East Tennessee Precast employees will become Hanson employees and will also have opportunities for further training and advancement.

The East Tennessee Precast facility will be part of Hanson’s Southeast region, headquartered in Green Cove Springs, Fla., servicing Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. More than 30 facilities throughout the Southeast region produce several products, including those used for community and roadway development such as reinforced concrete pipe, drainage structures, modular bridges and other precast concrete product.

About Hanson Building Products North America
Hanson Building Products North America, a division of Hanson PLC, is comprised of Hanson Brick, Hanson Roof Tile, Hanson Pipe & Precast, Hanson Structural Precast and Hanson Paver Products. Hanson Brick is the largest brick producer in North America. Hanson Roof Tile is a leading manufacturer of concrete roof tile in the United States. Hanson Pipe & Precast is a manufacturer of concrete pipe; precast concrete products including manholes, drainage structures, box culverts, bridge components, retaining walls and concrete block; and steel and concrete pressure pipe. Hanson Structural Precast produces products used in commercial, residential and educational buildings, sports facilities, bridges and parking structures. Hanson Paver Products produces decorative concrete pavers for residential and commercial building. For more information, please visit www.hansonbrick.com, www.hansonrooftile.com, www.hansonpipeandprecast.com, www.hansonpipeandprecast.com/structural and www.hansonpaverproducts.com.

Hanson Building Products North America has grown and prospered into an organization of more than 7,400 employees and 140 facilities with products available throughout the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Hanson’s quality products, services and building technology, please visit www.hanson.biz.

About Hanson PLC
Hanson is one of the world's largest suppliers of heavy building materials to the construction industry, with turnover in 2006 of £4.1bn. Our products fall into two ategories: "aggregates" (crushed rock, sand and gravel, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt- and cement-related products), and "building products" (concrete pipes, pre-cast products, concrete pavers, blocks, tiles and clay bricks). We employ approximately 26,000 people, operating primarily in North America, the UK and Australia with further operations in Asia Pacific and continental Europe.

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