Nichiha USA, Inc. Appoints New Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and Announces Executive Changes

Effective April 1, 2009, Jin (Jinkichi) Yoshida has been hired as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer for Nichiha USA, Inc. assuming the role previously held by Tetsuro Yoshida, acting Chairman of the Board and CEO for both Nichiha USA, Inc. and Nichiha Corporation, Japan, who will now continue to serve as an active board member of Nichiha USA, Inc as well as remain Chairman of the Board and CEO for Nichiha Corporation, Japan.

Jin Yoshida comes to Nichiha from MBK Real Estate, Irvine, Orange County, California (a fully owned subsidiary corporation of Mitsui & Co., Ltd.), where he served as the company’s Chairman of the Board for nine years. As a regional industry leader in real estate, MBK Real Estate is renowned for building award-winning new home communities through its three companies; MBK Homes, MBK Senior Living and MBK Retail. On April 1st, Jin Yoshida will now assume all the responsibility of directing the fiber cement manufacturer, Nichiha with its U.S. headquarters in Norcross, Georgia and manufacturing plant in Macon, Georgia.

“I am honored and thrilled to be joining Nichiha as they continue to lead the world in the advancement of fiber cement technology”, said Jin Yoshida. “Though the current economic conditions are not ideal, I’ve gained valuable experience over the past nine years as a builder on how to sustain and even grow in difficult times. I am fully committed to advancing the growth and success of Nichiha USA, Inc. by working together with our great partners.”

Another executive change for Nichiha USA, Inc. concerns current President, Katsunori Takamitsu, known as Tiger, who has held the position since November 2001, will be leaving the company on Jun 1, 2009. Tiger has been on special assignment for Sumitomo Corporation who also is a shareholder of Nichiha USA, Inc. and will now be returning to Tokyo, Japan for reassignment at Sumitomo Corporation, Head Office.

“Over the past seven and half years, Tiger has done a marvelous job directing Nichiha USA, Inc. through our early stages of our business here in the U.S.,” said Tetsuro Yoshida, Chairman of the Board and CEO for Nichiha Corporation, Japan.

“He has accomplished so many important goals which have led us to build our first plant here and has developed a solid foundation by which we will move forward. We are very thankful to him for all his efforts.”

In 1998, Nichiha U.S.A., Inc. was established in Norcross, Georgia., as a joint venture of the Nichiha Corporation of Japan and the Sumitomo Corporation of Japan and the Sumitomo Corporation of America of the U.S. Nichiha, an international leader in fiber cement technology for more than 35 years, markets distinct patterns of fiber cement siding products in the U.S. In 2007, Nichiha opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Macon, Georgia, responding to an increase in demand for fiber cement products in the Southeast market. For more information, call 1.86.NICHIHA1 or visit our web site at nichiha.com.