Simonton Windows Honored as "Overall Top Rated Vinyl Window Brand" With Second Consecutive BICA Award

22 June, 2007 - PARKERSBURG, W. VA. - For the second consecutive time, Simonton Windows® has won the BICA™ award for being ranked "Overall Top Rated Vinyl Window Brand" in a performance study conducted by Market Resource Associates, Inc. (MRA) of Minneapolis. Almost 1,000 building industry representatives participated in the unaided survey that evaluated vinyl window manufacturers on various aspects of product quality, service, pricing and performance.

We developed the BICA (which stands for Best in Class Award) several years ago to recognize truly exemplary companies that stand out in our surveys," says John Cashmore, president of MRA. "Simonton Windows is a repeat winner in the vinyl window brand category and should be extremely proud of this award.

"Our national survey is unique in that it is conducted using an unaided, out-bound telephone method. Only those individuals who have direct responsibility for purchasing windows were surveyed. This means the overall results show Simonton was freely mentioned as a top-of-mind quality company more than any other vinyl window manufacturer."

Within the scope of the survey, Simonton Windows gained the highest scores amongst the company's competitors in the categories of Short Lead Time from Order to Delivery, Shipment Arrives as Ordered and Complete, On-Time Delivery, Easy to Order From, Contact is Easy to Reach by Phone and Overall Product Quality Rating. Simonton led in all these categories during MRA's initial study in 2005 and again in the recent study conducted in 2007.

"Every day our employees strive for excellence," says Mark Savan, president of Simonton Windows. "Receiving the BICA is important because it lets us know our efforts to provide our valued customers with the best products and services available are successful."

For this survey, a sample of 997 building trade professionals were randomly selected and collected from among the 48 contiguous states in relationship to building permits data compiled by Permits Plus of Ithaca, N.Y. For more information on this and other MRA Omnibus Studies visit the MRA website at www.mraonline.com or call 800-795-3056.

Simonton Windows was ranked "Highest in Builder and Remodeler Satisfaction among Residential Window and Patio Door Manufacturers" in the J.D. Power and Associates/McGraw-Hill Construction 2006 Residential Window and Patio Door Builder and Remodeler Satisfaction Study SM. The company was also ranked #1 in quality in the 2007 Brand Use Study sponsored by Builder magazine. Simonton Windows produces ENERGY STAR® qualified replacement and new construction windows and doors, including a line of impact-resistant products. Founded in 1946, Simonton's hallmark has been to deliver its made-to-order products in seven days or less. Part of consumer products company Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), Simonton has manufacturing facilities in Pennsboro, Harrisville and Ellenboro, W.Va.; Paris, Ill.; McAlester, Okla.; Lyons, Ga.; and Vacaville, Calif.

Simonton is a founding sponsor of The Weather Museum and a corporate partner of Homes for Our Troops. For information, call (800) SIMONTON or visit www.simonton.com. For J.D. Power and Associates award information, visit www.jdpower.com.

Contact: Kathy Ziprik
304-428-1856
kziprik@aol.com