April 19, 2006 — Pittsburgh-based L.B. Foster Co. recently signed a contract with Chaparral Steel Co. to extend its previous agreement to distribute their extensive line of steel piling products.

Stan Baucum, General Sales Manager for Chaparral, expects an already strong relationship between the two companies to grow more so with this new agreement. Baucum comments, "We have enjoyed a long and profitable relationship with L.B. Foster. They are an effective sales and marketing partner to the engineering and contractor base that specifies and uses our sheet piling and H-beam piling throughout North America. As Chaparral expands its availability of sizes and types of piling, we will look to L.B. Foster to aggressively market and sell those products."

The federal highway bill signed last summer, coupled with demand for extensive rebuilding of the levee system in New Orleans and additional capacity and maintenance-of-way capital spending needs by the nation's railroads has resulted in increased construction spending. According to Stan Hasselbusch, President and CEO of L.B. Foster, this agreement between the two companies ensures a strong position to participate in these growing market needs. "We believe that the excellent relationship between L.B. Foster and Chaparral will become even stronger as we continue to penetrate new markets and develop applications for their products. This is a core business for both companies, one that we both expect to substantially grow over the life of the contract."

Senior Vice President, Construction Products, Don Foster, adds, "The Chaparral-L.B. Foster team is meeting our nation's growing infrastructure needs by bringing innovative and cost effective sheet piling to the marketplace. As an example, the team has introduced a new line of sheet piling solutions called PCZ^(TM). The PCZ line is the only wider, lighter and stronger sheet piling section made domestically with the easy-to-drive ball and socket interlock. Nationally, feedback from owners, designers, engineers and contractors has been quite positive."

L.B. Foster is a leading manufacturer, fabricator and distributor of products for transportation, construction, utility and energy needs. Through its North American based sales team, L.B. Foster distributes a wide range of piling products for numerous infrastructure applications and stocks inventory for immediate shipment from strategic North American locations.

Chaparral manufactures a full line of steel piling, structural shapes, and bar products. PZC is a registered trademark of Chaparral Steel.