Gibraltar has acquired Portals Plus Inc. and its affiliated companies, Roofing Products & Systems Corp. and J.L.R. Services, Inc. (Portals Plus).

Portals Plus is a Chicago-based, privately held manufacturer of a diverse line of roofing products, including pipe flashing, roof curbs, drains, and pre-molded corners for the building industry. With 2003 sales of approximately $14 million, the company has been in business for 40 years and operates two facilities in the Chicago area. It employs approximately 80 people.

Portals Plus has a leading position in the roofing products and related markets, and serves a broad customer base. It will operate as part of Gibraltar's Milcor Inc. subsidiary, which has a complementary product line (including roof hatches, metal access doors, and registers and grilles) and a common customer base.

"The strategic acquisition of Portals Plus strengthens our position in the roofing accessories market by broadening and diversifying our product line, expanding our customer base, and creating numerous sales, marketing, and operating synergies with Milcor," said Brian J. Lipke, Gibraltar's Chairman and CEO.

"The management team at Portals Plus, led by President Ron Resech, has steadily grown the business, and we are pleased they have agreed to stay with the company and work with us to accelerate its growth," said Mr. Lipke.

This is the fifth building products company acquired by Gibraltar in the last 16 months, following the acquisitions of Renown Specialties and Covert Operations earlier this year and the 2003 acquisitions of Construction Metals (April 1) and Air Vent (May 1). Gibraltar's building products segment now has annualized sales of approximately $500 million, operates 40 facilities in 21 states and Canada, manufactures and distributes more than 5,000 products, and serves the leading customers in all of the major distribution channels.

Gibraltar, a leading metal processor, manufactures and distributes more than 5,000 residential and commercial building products, and is North America's second-largest commercial heat treater. The company serves approximately 10,000 customers in a variety of industries in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Central and South America, and is approaching $1 billion in annual sales. It has approximately 4,000 employees and operates 74 facilities in 26 states, Canada, and Mexico.