Owens Corning Presentation at Composites 2010 Focuses on Growing the Composites Industry in a New Business Landscape

Las Vegas – Feb. 10, 2010 – A presentation in the Owens Corning (NYSE:OC) booth today at the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) Composites 2010 show, will highlight challenges and opportunities in the composites industry following the global economic experience of 2009. The talk will highlight how the events of last year are expected to impact customer decisions and what the composites industry can do to overcome obstacles and leverage the potential for growth in 2010.

“In 2009, we lived a decade worth of change in one year,” said Marcio Sandri, Americas vice president and managing director of the Owens Corning Composites Group. “And while the market is still recovering and facing challenges, a new business landscape has emerged which holds many positives for the composites industry.

“The caution in the market has forged a new generation of business leaders who are more receptive than ever to converting from traditional materials to composites,” explains Sandri. “In the past, designers, engineers and other business leaders often chose to play it safe in materials selection. Now there seems to be a greater sense of urgency for making changes that can strengthen a company and its products in some way. This change presents a big opportunity to continue to educate materials specifiers and end-users about the benefits of composites.”

On the flip side, Sandri cautions that given the negative impact to businesses that were highly leveraged and had large inventories, leaders today are more cautious about borrowing and building capacity and inventories ahead of demand. “With this increased caution, combined with rising raw material prices, our challenge as a composites industry will be to ensure returns are attractive enough to generate the investments needed to continue growing.”

In addition to addressing industry opportunities and challenges, the presentation will also highlight actions Owens Corning has taken to drive value for customers throughout the crisis and into the future, and actions the industry must take together to accelerate the continued recovery and ultimate growth of the industry.

“Throughout the course of 2009,” said Sandri, “we maintained our investment in innovation, improving operations and increasing capacity to meet market needs as a continuing commitment not only to the composites industry but also with the development of the Americas.”

Recent announcements have included adding capacity to meet wind energy demand in Brazil and China, upgrading facilities to the company’s patented boron- and fluorine-free Advantex® technology, and restarting facilities globally as the market recovers, including the company's plant in Amarillo, Texas.

The presentation will be held from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the Owens Corning booth, No. 803.