Press Releases

Oldcastle Glass® donates to the American Red Cross

Santa Monica, CA. – October 26, 2001 – The employees and management of Oldcastle Inc. have donated $800,000 to the American Red Cross, New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund and the United Way in aid of the victims and families of the Sept. 11 tragedies at New York City and Washington, D.C.

The Oldcastle Disaster Relief Fund received $400,000 in contributions from company employees at its 500 locations across North America within two weeks of establishing the Fund. Oldcastle committed to matching employees’ contributions. Donations continue to flow into the company’s division head offices at Atlanta, GA. and Washington. D.C.

A check for $415,000 was presented to the Red Cross in late October. The balance will be sent to the Times 9/11 Neediest Fund after all donations have been received.

The employees and management of Allied Building Products, a leading national distributor of roofing and siding materials to construction markets, donated a separate contribution of $12,000 to the Sweeney & Harkin Fund. Sweeney & Harkin Carpentry and Dry Wall Corp. of Long Island, NY, a long-time Allied customer, lost two employees at the World Trade Center. The donation will help support their children.

“Like so many other people, we were horrified by the enormous tragedy that occurred in New York and Washington,” explained John Wittstock, President and CEO, Oldcastle Products and Distribution, one of the company’s two divisions in North America. “We felt the need to help support the noble efforts of the rescue and emergency teams. Our employees responded significantly and quickly.”

Oldcastle was involved in the New York recovery efforts in other ways as well. Its Tilcon New York Inc. subsidiary, a leading Northeast supplier to the highway and building trades markets, mobilized eight quarry loaders from its New York-area locations on September 12 and provided manpower assistance to the New York City Port Authority. The loaders were deployed to the World Trade Center South Tower and One Liberty Plaza to clear the streets of debris and demolished vehicles. Tilcon also provided dust masks, work gloves, hard hats, safety glasses, reflective safety vests and t-shirts to help emergency workers.

Buchanan Marine, which operates aggregate barges, tugboats and a shipyard in the Northeast, supplied barges and crew to move equipment, supplies and people back and forth across the Hudson River. Lowbed tractor trailers operated by sister company Pennsy Supply, Inc. hauled search and rescue equipment and removed debris in the days and weeks following the tragedy. Pennsy was mobilized by Pennsylvania Task Force 1, one of 27 national certified urban and search and rescue teams called on by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Oldcastle Precast, the leading manufacturer of precast products, donated safety helmets to protect rescue workers.

“Our employees in New York City and across the country have responded in very meaningful ways, very quickly,” explained Tom Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Oldcastle Materials Group. “We all feel very fortunate to have assisted in this manner.”

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