American Pallet Leasing, Inc. on Track to Achieve Goals
American
Pallet Leasing, Inc. (APL), a vertically integrated manufacturer and logistical
supplier of pallets, and wholly owned subsidiary of Literary Playpen, Inc. (OTCBB:LYPP)
announced today that the execution of its business plan is on target. Since the
September 22nd reverse acquisition that created American Pallet Leasing, Inc (APL),
Company management has initiated several activities designed to achieve the young
company's stated goals.
Prior to the reverse acquisition, APL purchased
its first operating entity, G&G/Cherokee Wood Inc., a saw mill in Blackburg,
S.C., which currently is generating revenue for the Company. The purchase marked
the first round in APL's acquisition strategy to "roll up" the industry,
composed of more than 3,500 pallet manufacturers, and to acquire strategic lumber
mills in order to better facilitate customer requirements. The Blackburg facility
is the first hub in the Company's Hub and Spoke national logistics concept. Other
hub facilities that have been identified in Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee,
Illinois and Texas are in the process of being acquired.
On Nov. 3, 2004
APL announced the hiring of its new Chief Financial Officer, Byron Hudson, a veteran
accounting and financial management expert with more than 30 years experience,
including 5 years at KPMG, 4 years as vice president/controller (chief accounting
officer) of Belk Stores Services, and 6 years as chief financial officer of Pic
'N Pay Stores, Inc. More importantly, he has served as a financial manager of
several entrepreneurial companies and has 20 years experience as a certified public
accountant (CPA).
Also in November, the Company began construction of its
Midwest Regional Headquarters in Rock Valley, Iowa, which will house a new 25,000
square foot facility for manufacturing wood/steel pallets. Situated on 12 acres
of land the facility will employ some 60 local residents. To date, the footings
have been poured and the plumbing and electrical conduit has been roughed in.
The building is on schedule to be completed in early 2005 with manufacturing commencing
in February.
APL Chief Executive Officer, Timothy R. Bumgarner, said that
he is pleased with the progress the Company has made so far. "We believe
we have a sound business plan and we are executing it well. We are building an
excellent management team and our working Board of Directors brings a wealth of
relevant experience that can assist us through business challenges from financing
and acquisitions to manufacturing and sales."
"In addition, we
are negotiating a number of contracts that involve other acquisitions as well
as logistical services sales. We are looking forward to the next several months
and are confident that we will be fulfilling our first logistical services contracts
later next year," Mr. Bumgarner said.
About American Pallet Leasing
Inc.
APL is a vertically integrated manufacturer and logistical supplier
of pallets. The Company is engaged in an acquisition roll-up of strategically
located wood pallet manufacturers and saw (lumber) mills. Management's goal is
to create a "Closed Loop Distribution System" by transforming the $1.6
billion-per-year pallet business from a commodity industry into a logistics management
enterprise that will supply and manage the pallet requirements of manufacturers
and distributors. APL currently owns one saw mill and intends to acquire other
saw mills as a means of sourcing cheap lumber for its wood pallet manufacturing
operations. APL also holds patents on proprietary galvanized steel pallets and
intends to commence the manufacture of its patented steel pallets subject to the
receipt of additional capital. The Company intends to enter into management and
logistics contracts with manufacturers and distributors pursuant to which APL
will supply and manage all of the customers' pallet needs. So far, all of APL's
revenue has come from its sawmill operations, but the Company currently is in
negotiations to procure its initial management and logistics contracts.
About
Literary Playpen, Inc.
Literary Playpen, Inc. acquired APL on September
22, 2004. Literary Playpen, Inc. is a publicly-traded non-operating corporation
that had insignificant assets as of the close and has not generated significant
revenues over the past few years. Literary Playpen is considered a development
stage company as defined in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 7.
Disclosure
Statement
The statements contained in this press release that are not
historical are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), including statements, without limitation, regarding our expectations,
beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. APL and Literary Playpen
intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provided
by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements relate to, among other things: (1) success of the reverse acquisition;
(2) APL's expected revenue and earnings growth; and (3) estimates regarding the
size of target markets. These statements are qualified by important factors that
could cause APL's actual results to differ materially from those reflected by
the forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: (1)
APL's ability to obtain development financing as and when needed, (2) APL's ability
to generate and sustain profitable operations; (3) the market's acceptance of
APL's products and services; (4) significant competition from other pallet manufacturers
and suppliers, and (5) APL's ability to protect its intellectual property. These
statements, and other forward-looking statements, are not guarantees of future
performance and involve risks and uncertainties as more fully described in the
company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
American
Pallet Leasing Inc. Timothy R. Bumgarner or Byron Hudson, 864-936-7000 or EPOCH
Financial Group James Kautz, 678-574-5615