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Extrusion Process Tracker & Forecaster

Latest Month	Previous Month	Year Ago	YTD % Change	Annual % Change
				2006	2007	2008
188.5	205.3	250.0	-10.0	-6.2	-15.9	-7.0

Window/Door Business Index

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The Window/Door Business Index (1995=100) measures market demand for window and door profiles. This is a small segment of the extruded products market, but it was one of the fastest growing during the past ten years.

The Window/Door Business Index sank 25% in the latest month when compared with a year ago. This followed a 13% drop during the previous month.

When compared with the previous year, this Index decreased an estimated 15% during the third quarter of 2008. This followed a decline of 12% in the second quarter.

The data on U.S. housing starts is an important indicator of market demand for vinyl windows and doors. The total number of housing starts decreased by 25% in 2007, and the forecast calls for another 25% decline in 2008.

Year-to-date spending on existing home alterations and repairs is down a more moderate 8% in 2008. This is mitigating some of the sharp decline in demand for vinyl windows and doors from new home builders.

New residential construction spending fell 18% in 2007, and is down another 28% so far in 2008. This downtrend will not be reversed until 2009. This will curb demand for vinyl windows in the coming months, but production levels should remain relatively high by historical standards.

After a decline of 16% in 2007, the average for our Window/Door Business Index will fall by another 7% in 2008.