Letter From CEO

Welcome to Southwire. As president and CEO, I know I speak for all of our employees as I proudly inform you about our company and the ideals for which we stand.

For a number of years now, Southwire has been included in the Information Week 500 list of companies with the most innovative information-technology capabilities. That creative spirit is embedded in everything we do, including this website, and I am sure you will find your visit here useful.

Southwire's mission can be summed up in three words - We deliver power. Founded in 1950, our company enjoys a rich history of delivering electricity to where it is needed. That determined effort started in rural western Georgia, and today it extends throughout North America and beyond. We are guided by Southwire's vision statement, which reflects the pride, spirit and aspirations of our shareholders, board of directors, and employees.

As an introduction to Southwire, let me describe our key strengths and strategies. These are the things that make us special - the foundation upon which our business relationships are based.

First of all, I am fortunate to work with a great group of motivated, loyal and experienced people. The members of my leadership team have an average of twenty-five years with Southwire. Several have been with the company for more than thirty years. Our typical employee has been with us more than a decade - which is remarkable for a 4,000 person, manufacturing-intensive company.

This speaks for another of our key strengths - family values. As a private, family-owned company, we treat one another with dignity and respect, and work hard to improve the communities in which we operate. The Richards family, which continues to own 100 percent of the company, recognizes there are many stakeholders in the business beyond themselves - including customers, suppliers, communities, and employees. They consistently have shared the rewards of success with all these stakeholders. They also take a long-term point of view on our business by looking toward the next generation, not just the next quarterly earnings report.

Another great strength of our company is technology. Our founder, Roy Richards, Sr., was a leader in the commercialization of the continuous rod casting process. Today, we remain the world leader in copper and aluminum rod production and technology. We have continued to innovate - with a constant flow of new products and production processes that keep us on the cutting edge. A notable recent example is the superconducting cable technology that powers our plants in Carrollton. Recently, Southwire embarked on a joint venture with nkt cables of Denmark. Through this partnership, we multiply our technical expertise and expand the resources available to us, ensuring the most efficient use of both.

Still another key strength is the legacy we have been building for over 50 years. Southwire and the Richards family are synonymous. Our combined reputation means more to us than dollars and cents. Integrity is a byword of how we do business. We are award-winning leaders in environmental stewardship. We take care to maintain a strong balance sheet underpinned by conservative accounting. We have established a world-class board of directors. A majority of the board's members came from careers outside of Southwire, ensuring independent oversight. Roy Richards, Jr., the eldest son of the founder, remains our very active chairman of that board. He and his siblings play an active role in the company's governance and strategies.

Put all these attributes together, and they explain how we have achieved our greatest strength of all - the relationship we have with our customers. Recognizing every customer has its own unique market position and strategies, we work hard to understand and meet those special needs - one customer at a time. Our sales force plays a key role in matching our capabilities to each customer's needs. Because of that, we are consistently told we have the best sales force in the industry.

Now that you know our strengths, let me list our key defining strategies - five of them in all. Together, they capitalize on all the attributes I have just described by ensuring Southwire remains focused on:

Being the best in the world at producing, marketing, and servicing products that deliver power, as well as copper and aluminum rod, and by so doing lead our industry;
Succeed by helping our customers succeed;
Offer the best services, best products and best prices to our customers;
Believing in our 4,000 business people, each of whom plays a key role in keeping our company successful;
Continuing to build the legacy that defines our family company.

Once again, welcome to Southwire and thank you for your interest in our company. Feel free to peruse our web site, and to contact us for additional information or support. As leaders in our markets, we want to be not only your number one source for cable, wire and rod products, but also for related information and expertise.

Sincerely,

Stuart Thorn
Stu_Thorn@southwire.com
President and CEO
Southwire Company