<B>Hi-Rise Looks to Hit Sales $75M Sales Figure</B>

Hi-Rise Recycling Systems expects to achieve a minimum of $75 million in sales this year and be profitable for the full year. Although Hi-Rise will report a slight loss for the first quarter due to a write-off for a failed acquisition, the company said that operations in the quarter were as expected and that it would maintain the internal growth rate it accomplished in fiscal 1999 of 15%.

Gary McAlpin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hi-Rise, said, ``The solid waste equipment business and the architectural segment are doing very well and we expect to have a terrific year in terms of both sales and earnings so we do not understand why the stock has declined. The fundamentals are all intact and in fact, our debt levels will be lower than expected because we did not make an acquisition earlier this year that we anticipated. The result is that our balance sheet will look very strong alongside our income statement. The outlook for the year is very, very good.''