DuraCore™ SF Plus - Johns Manville's new generation of fiber glass chopped strands

Denver, Colorado (October 4, 2004) ---- Johns Manville, a leading manufacturer of chopped fiber glass for use in gypsum wallboard, today announced the introduction of DuraCore™ SF Plus. DuraCore™ SF Plus is the new generation of chopped fiber glass for use in fire-rated wallboards, and is a UL recognized component.

DuraCore™ SF Plus was engineered to offer superior properties in fiber flow consistency. The improvements in flow consistency will provide wallboard manufacturers the ability to decrease their fiber consumption when compared to standard products. DuraCore™ SF Plus is available in 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4" lengths, and is available in customized packaging solutions.

"DuraCore™ SF Plus has been developed to provide significantly improved value to the gypsum wallboard industry. DuraCore™ SF Plus demonstrates the ability of Johns Manville to develop unique solutions for the gypsum wallboard manufacturers, and reaffirms our long-term commitment to the industry," said Zain Mahmood, vice president and general manager. "Customer feedback has been extremely positive and we are convinced this product will bring value to all our gypsum wallboard customers."

Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. In business since 1858, the Denver, USA-based company has sales in excess of $2 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs approximately 8,500 people and operates 43 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia.

The Engineered Products Group (EPG), one of Johns Manville's four strategic business units, produces glass fibers, glass fiber nonwovens, polyester spunbonds, meltblowns and glass fiber wall coverings at 14 manufacturing locations worldwide: Spartanburg, SC, Waterville, OH, Richland, MS and Etowah,TN, USA; Berlin, Bobingen, Karlstein, Steinach and Wertheim, Germany; St. Helens, UK, Oskarström and Helsingborg, Sweden; Trnava, Slovakia and Shanghai, China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com/DuraCore.