GREENSBORO, N.C., June 10, 2002 - Lees expands upon its unique Neofloor™ alternative flooring product by adding three new collections that debut at NeoCon® 2002. Developed by Lees as an alternative to hard surface flooring, NeoFloor combines the advantages of carpet with the ease-of-maintenance of hard surfaces. The new collections include designs and colorations that suit a wide range of institutional applications, including education and healthcare environments, as well as transportation and corporate settings.

"The success of our first Neofloor launch, combined with the product's unparalleled performance, allowed us to branch out even further and offer facility managers and designers increased color and design options," said Diann Barbacci, vice president of Lees' NeoFloor Business Unit. "Additionally, we took the product to the next level and made it suitable for the daily rigors of the transport industry. With our new introductions, NeoFloor is applicable for an even greater number of environments."

Lees Follows Its Instincts
Building on the success of the original NeoFloor introduction, Lees unveils the InTuition Collection, consisting of three patterns:

Block Party - an abstract mosaic design

Confetti - a small "pick up sticks" design

Fiesta - an allover pebble-dash design

The Collection features a palette of 30 color and design choices, including natural beige-based, mid-tone gray-based, and clear colors that mask spots, spills and lint-type discoloration in high traffic areas. The colors are placed in "allover" designs, which, in combination with Lees' proven performance features and NeoFloor's unique construction, affords superior appearance retention.

"With NeoFloor's new designs and its unparalleled performance, we have introduced a flooring solution that we anticipate will generate an enthusiastic response from the specifying community," explained Bob Hutchinson, vice president of style and design for Lees. "Timeless aesthetics impart a sustainable quality to InTuition, making it a smart choice for a host of environments - wherever an easy-to-live-with aesthetic and durability is required."

European Aesthetics Add Color
Additionally, Lees will be unveiling the NeoFloor European Collection to offer designers and facility managers a fresh perspective on design from a European viewpoint. The Collection features five fresh patterns in a total of 44 bold and confident colorations that address designers' desire for "European" colors. Designs include Tokyo, Samba, Montana, Detroit, and Senya.

Both the InTuition and European Collections are offered in 2 meters (6 feet and ¾ inches) widths, and is constructed of DuPont nylon 6,6. Very short fibers form a velvety surface on a textile substrate. Impervious to moisture and completely waterproof, NeoFloor's backing system consists of five layers:

Ø An ultra-dense cut pile decorative layer
Ø A vinyl adhesive layer
Ø A reinforced fiberglass scrim to ensure dimensional stability
Ø A vinyl closed-cell, cushioned moisture barrier backing
Ø A vinyl moisture barrier to protect sub floor and prevent delamination

The InTuition Collection also features Bioguard® by Lees, a powerful antimicrobial treatment that controls bacteria, mold and fungi growth. Applied to the base of the fiber layer, Bioguard provides the sanitary conditions that many facilities require.

Installation of NeoFloor is simple and does not require welding of seams. In addition, it is dimensionally stable, and carries a lifetime warranty against shrinking, buckling, stretching or curling, as well as against edge ravel, delamination and zippering.

NeoFloor On The Move
Also debuting at NeoCon 2002 is the NeoFloor Transport Collection. Offered in 1.5-meter widths (four feet, 11 inches), the Transport Collection is designed and engineered specifically for vehicular transportation applications such as passenger ships, military ships, passenger trains and rapid transit vehicles such as monorails and subways.

NeoFloor Transport is engineered to conform to the highest safety requirements relating to floorcoverings in transport environments. Its unique construction enables the product to offer radical advances in performance and durability, including superior slip resistance and unmatched cleaning ability. NeoFloor Transport's unique electrostatically flocked construction enables it to withstand rigorous use, and renders it highly slip resistant. Additionally, all the fire resistance properties are met in NeoFloor Transport for rail use, and the product meets fire resistance properties set forth for marine use. Using standard equipment and materials, persistent stains and spills (from food to oil and grease) can be easily removed. Repairs and replacement are easily made with the appearance of a seamless installation.

The product is uniquely geared to exploiting the potential of floor areas to act as a communication medium. Safety messages can be reproduced and embedded within the floorcovering using inlays from one of the five designs within the collection. Debuting in five patterns, the Transport Collection offers medium- to small-scale designs colored to camouflage normal effects of severe traffic in everyday use. Included in the NeoFloor Transport Collection are:

Arosa - a textural twill design in a medium scale
Dakota - an architectural miniature block grid design
Montana - a random textural strata effect featured in a small scale
Osaka - a medium-scale sinuous organic design, reminiscent of
bullrush stems
Samba - a granular texture in a small to medium scale

"We have expanded our NeoFloor offerings to include unique patterns and colors that address the varying needs of designers and facility managers," said Barbacci. "The style and ease-of-maintenance of the product itself is so exceptional, it makes sense to develop it for transport applications as well. With our new introductions, NeoFloor becomes an ideal floorcovering for a myriad of environments."

NeoFloor has the advantages of carpet and the ease-of-maintenance of hard surfaces with superior aesthetics and density ideal for heavy foot and wheeled traffic areas. Its unique construction provides a complete moisture barrier, superb durability and comfort underfoot, and vastly improved slip resistance and acoustic properties. High-density fibers trap sound waves to ensure excellent appearance retention. The vertical fiber orientation, without twist, affords superior soil and allergen release. Produced with a precision color placement process and state-of-the-art nickel-plated screens, NeoFloor offers unequalled patterning capabilities for resilient textile sheet flooring. NeoFloor is suited for a broad range of institutional applications, including retail, corporate, education and healthcare environments.

Committed to being the "single source, total solution" for commercial floorcoverings, Lees is one of the most experienced and respected carpet makers in America. Founded in 1846, the company is headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., with primary manufacturing facilities located in Glasgow, Va.

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