MAKING EVERYTHING BETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT As Group President of Gibraltar Industries Engineered Products Group and President of USP Structural Connectors® , I'd like to thank you for your interest in USP. It is our goal to provide the best available products and services to help you build safer and stronger structures. All of us at USP are focused on becoming the leader in the structural connector and engineered products market. Every day we look to provide true value to our customers in all of the industries and job functions that they perform in. Although USP is a national company, we have regionallybased technical staff that can handle any need. Additionally, we are supported by our customer service department and technical sales representatives in the field. We are keenly aware of the vital role our customers have in our business and we strive to be the solution of choice. We're excited about the plans we have in place for 2006. You can expect USP to continue to deliver new and innovative products and customer support solutions. Keep an eye on us, and you'll see exactly how hard we work to earn your business. We wish you a safe and prosperous 2006. Robert Brunson Group President, Gibraltar Engineered Products Group President, USP Structural Connectors WE'RE A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER USP Structural Connectors® has a long rich history as a successful company. Our recent history includes joining Gibraltar Industries, a leading manufacturer, processor and distributor of metals and other engineered materials for the building products market. Gibraltar is a manufacturing juggernaut with products spanning Building Products, Processed Metal Products, and Thermal Processing (Heat Treating). Gibraltar serves over 24,000 customers in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Central and South America. Gibraltar's goal is to establish a leadership position in all of its businesses. And that includes the structural connector industry. Gibraltar has provided USP with a wide range of resources that have given us a considerable edge. Whether it's our ability to create custom solutions or the time it takes for you to get through to a customer service representative, we're out to make it better. Gibraltar Industries has manufacturing, warehousing and sales facilities located across all of North America. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER USP has been committed to making pro-grade structural connectors for more than 50 years. In the course of those five-plus decades, we've seen a lot of changes in the way we do business and the way buildings are constructed. But, in all that time our passion and our level of commitment has remained rock solid. We know that every day trade professionals and homeowners alike are using our products to make something a little bit better than it needs to be. We like that, because that's how we think, too. Before a single one of USP's 4,000 products finds its way to a construction site, it needs to earn the approval of some very particular people. Our engineers, production workers, sales people and customer service representatives all feel a sense of personal responsibility for everything we put our name on. If you have a question, a comment or need some help, we encourage you to call us. You'll find the number on virtually everything we print. We're anxious to hear from you, and we'll do what we can to make sure you get what you need to do your job... and make things better. NEW FOR 2006 USP works aggressively to stay ahead of constantly changing code requirements, building practices and demands from the field. Our engineers work closely with national and local code agencies to maintain a proactive advantage. We are involved in industry organizations and committees, and spend considerable time in the field so we can continually improve existing products and introduce new, innovative products. RUSC Retro Uplift Strap Connector. Provides a wood-to-wood uplift connection attaching trusses with a 2 x 4 bottom chord to a double stud in the wall below. WS3 woodscrews are utilized for fast installation. Connector can be installed after roof sheathing has been installed. MSH213L/R Skewed Truss Hanger. Adjustable hanger permits installation on a 2 x 6 or greater bottom chord, or vertical web member. CSHL/R-TZ Concealed stringer hanger provides a method of connecting a stair stringer with a hidden hanger. The seat of the hanger is adjustable to match the slope of the stair stringer. PBC Post beam connector is a one-piece connector designed to secure two mitered beams on a corner post while providing uplift capacity. usp core values: In a time when commitment is sometimes avoided and accountability is sometimes scarce, the employees of USP are unafraid to tell our customers exactly what USP is all about. CUSTOMER ORIENTED: Passion for designing proactive solutions. We listen, anticipate, and deliver! Customers fuel our growth and without them we would cease to exist. KNOWLEDGEABLE: Knowing our customers' business and their requirements better than they do. Be the resource of comprehensive expertise in all areas. CONSISTENT & DEPENDABLE: Performance meeting or exceeding our customers' expectations, every time. A partnership based on reliability and trust. FORWARD-THINKING: Anticipate customer and industry changes and be the leader in influencing market trends. Be first, be innovative, be the solution! usp mission: We focus on being the preferred partner of our customers, by building relationships and products that satisfy their needs and consistently provide proactive, innovative solutions. " USP WORKS AGGRESSIVELY TO STAY AHEAD OF CHANGING CODE REQUIREMENTS, BUILDING PRACTICES, AND DEMANDS FROM THE FIELD. " USP MANUFACTURING & WAREHOUSE FACILITIES www.USPconnectors.com info@USPconnectors.com CORPORATE OFFICE Customer Service/Technical Assistance 14305 Southcross Drive - Suite 200 Burnsville, Minnesota 55306 Phone: 1-800-328-5934 Fax: 1-952-898-8683 MANUFACTURING Montgomery, Minnesota Livermore, California Largo, Florida North Wilkesboro, North Carolina Thornhill, Ontario WAREHOUSES Rancho Cucamonga, California Houston, Texas Lumberton, New Jersey ©2006 United Steel Products Company USP 1056-061 ...