Newsletter December 1999

River Glen over 50's Village is a well established retirement community in Queensland, Australia. Using the Force 10 system, River Gate offeres 1,2, and 3 bedroom homes that can be tailored to suit personal tastes and needs. Prices begin at $65,000, making the houses both attractive and affordable.

Newsletter November 1999

Hurricane Lenny launched a surprise assault on the entire Caribbean the third week of November, 1999. In addition to being a late-late season storm, Lenny defied the prevailing laws of nature by traveling from west to east. This nimble trickster managed to inflict damage from Aruba to Puerto Rico, continuing east to Antigua and touching shores as far down island as Grenada and Barbados. We are pleased to report that there was no damage to any Force 10 homes or buildings from Hurricane Lenny. We have never lost a roof anywhere in the world!

The following article appeared on CNN's web site:

Caribbean evaluates Lenny's damage November 20, 1999 Web posted at: 12:07 p.m. EST (1707 GMT) PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten -- Residents emerged from shelters, waded through floodwaters and assessed the damage to their homes and businesses early Saturday as Hurricane Lenny waned and crept eastward into the Atlantic to die.

At least nine people died in the storm -- two U.S. residents were still missing as huge waves hampered rescue efforts late Friday. The storm also caused millions of dollars in damage to the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

"Its destructiveness was immense and unforgiving," St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony said. At least 70 homes were destroyed on that island. After three days of pounding the Caribbean islands with wind and rain, Lenny dwindled to tropical storm strength by late Friday -- just two days before the high tourist season officially begins Monday.

The storm ravaged homes and boats, stripped beaches of sand, flooded hotels and roads, downed utility lines and disrupted communications during its stay in the Caribbean.

Lenny's winds reached 150 mph before decreasing to 60 mph -- tropical storm strength -- as it rapidly disintegrated. At 1 a.m. EST Saturday, its poorly defined center was about 30 miles northeast of Antigua.

Lenny touched most islands through the Greater and Lesser Antilles and affected the lives of more than four million people on its unusual west-to-east trek late in the Atlantic hurricane season, which ends November 30.

Although its strength is diminishing, Lenny still could bring up to 15 more inches of rain on the already saturated islands, forecasters warned. And while the storm wasn't headed for the U.S. mainland, its weather pattern could bring heavy surf capable of eroding beaches in Florida, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Federal Emergency Management Agency teams this weekend began inspecting damage in St. Croix, the hardest-hit of the U.S. Virgin Islands. A 15-foot (4.5-meter) storm surge threw boats ashore, downed utility poles and destroyed a ballpark. Damage on the south side of St. Croix was "considerable," said Virgin Islands Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James. St. Croix's Ann Abramson pier in Frederiksted -- a key cruise ship port -- also was damaged. Airports in St. Thomas and St. Croix reopened Friday.

Lenny's winds slammed the low-lying British colony of Anguilla. Crew members from the British warship HMS Northumberland helped people on Anguilla clear roads, restore electricity and police the streets. Some hotels reported severe beach erosion, but the roughly 300 tourists on the island were safe, the government said. Parts of the Valley, Anguilla's capital, were under 14 feet of water late Friday.

"It is difficult to see which way the wind is blowing from," an Anguilla island resident wrote in an e-mail as Lenny passed on Friday. "It seems to come from all directions at the same time ... The wind is blasting through our house and shrieking through the shutters."

Three people were killed in Dutch St. Maarten, which shares an island with French St. Martin. Two were struck by flying debris late Thursday and a motorist died when the hillside road he was on collapsed.

Lenny's winds, rain, flooding and storm surges also were blamed for one death in Puerto Rico, two in Colombia, one in Martinique and another in Guadeloupe. One person was missing in Dominica. The U.S. Coast Guard said it rescued a French St. Martin man on Thursday who survived two days in a life raft buffeted by more than 100-mph winds and up to 30-foot seas. But the man's companion died, the Coast Guard said in San Juan. Coast Guard air crews spotted the survivor while searching for two Americans who planned to abandon their battered sailboat for a life raft. Carl Wake, 43, of Bradenton, Fla., and Steve Righby, 54, of New York City, were in Lenny's path off St. Croix when the hurricane's winds were up to 150 mph, whipping up 30-foot-high waves. On Friday, the winds and seas were too high for aircraft and boats to search for the men, he said.

U.S. Virgin Islands officials scrambled to assure potential visitors that the territory had been spared Lenny's worst. Cruise ships were docked Friday at the capital, Charlotte Amalie. "I don't think it will take long to recover," said the government's chief economist, Lauritz Mills.

The neighboring British Virgin Islands reported moderate damage but no injuries. Phones and power were out on several islands, and the island of St. Christopher-Nevis shut off its water system, fearing contamination from flooding. Some residents with phone service tried to communicate by contacting radio stations in the hope that their friends and relatives would hear their messages broadcast over the airwaves.

"Nina in Eustatius, your aunt in St. Maarten wants you to know she's OK," a Nevis radio announcer advised.

At least four hotels on Nevis, including the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel, were severely damaged by flooding from the storm surge, Tourism Minister Malcolm Guishard said on the radio.

In Saba, the airport tower was severely damaged, as were several structures.

In Grenada, 10 homes were destroyed, jetties and roads were damaged and 21 small craft lost.

In Dominica, there were unconfirmed reports of 36 homes destroyed and extensive damage to west-facing beaches.

Minor damage was reported in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Montserrat.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Newsletter September 1999 - Nevis School

Traditionally we think of September as "Back to School" month. On the island of Nevis, a brand new Force 10 school will be opening in September. Islanders are impressed with the speed of construction (construction began in April), the quality of the finshed building, and the low cost. The insulated wall panels make comfortable, cool classrooms. And Force 10 backs every building with a 10 year structural warranty, as well as, a product component guarantee against damage from hurricane force (up to 165 mph) sustained winds and earthquake tremors. Additionally, this school is resistant to fire, termite infestation and rot. The Nevis government will realize further savings in maintenance costs for this school, which could also be used as a safe hurricane shelter for the community it serves.

Congratulations to the Nevis government officials who have made this long-term commitment to education!

Saba

Meanwhile, on the neighboring island of Saba, Innovative Builders, Inc. is working on plans for a medical school. At first, Saba islanders were skedptical that a pre-manufactured system could fit in with their own unique architectural style. During David Holzman's recent visits to Saba, he has demonstrated that the Saba style can be duplicated using the Force 10 Engineered Building System. He is now working with the school's Director on a campus plan, and hopes to add Saba to the list of islands building with the Force 10 System in the next year.

Newsletter: June 1999

New Dealers for Dominica, St. Maarten and St. Lucia

David Holzman has just returned from a three week trip down island, promoting the Force 10 Engineered Building System and establishing Force 10 dealerships in new markets. He and Brian Ford, Senior Marketing Executive from Force 10's Australian home office, met with officials on St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Maarten and Montserrat to discuss various projects under consideration on each island. Mr. Holzman and Mr. Ford made several presentations to governement officials and private investors to show how the Force 10 system can be used for cost-effective, quality contruction that is engineered to withstand hurricane force winds. The Force 10 concept was well received and Force 10 dealers were appointed for St. Lucia, St. Maarten and Dominica.

On St. Lucia, Mr. Brian Walcott and Mr. Harold Beausoleil will be working to promote the Force 10 system. Mr. Walcott, a project manager and accountant, recently came to St. John to see, first hand, a Force 10 home under construction and the many finished Force 10 homes on that island. Mr. Beausoleil is a well known architect on St. Lucia. The combined expertise of Mr. Walcott and Mr. Beausoleil lends confidence to future Force 10 projects on St. Lucia.

Michael Deher and Peyton Cromwell of Re/MAX, Sint Maarten will be representing Force 10 for both Dutch and French St. Martin, Saba, Anguilla and St. Eustatia. Michel and Brian Deher of Deher Construction will be working with Re/Max to provide construction expertise for Force 10 projects. A 6,000 sq. ft. commercial building for Simpson Bay is currently under consideration.

On Dominca, Mr. Philip Martin, a realtor and project manager, will work with Mr. Dexter Frances, architect, to bring the Force 10 System to that island. Again, having local dealers with experience in real estate, design and construction ensures success for Force 10 projects.

To locate a Force 10 dealers in your area, please refer to Contact Us.

Hurricane Season

Disaster Prevention - Building to Withstand Hurricanes with the Force 10 System

Natural disasters are costing governments throughout the world unprecedented amounts of money for relief aid and repairs to property. The damage last year from Hurricane George was estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars, primarily in Puerto Rico, and including Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis. In Central America, Honduras is seeking $4 billion dollars in aid to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Mitch and Nicaragua is expected to ask for $2 billion in aid from potential donor countries worldwide.

Part of the problem is that we have increased populations in areas prone to natural disasters. However, there is much we can do to minimize the damage done to property by a storm. In the aftermath of Hurricane Marilyn, the U.S. Virgin Islands adopted stricter building codes, which may have reduced the island's vulnerability to Hurricane Georges in 1998 and minimized damage to private property.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, David Holzman, a designer and builder on St. John, USVI, began to look for a solution to the problems plaguing the building industry in the Caribbean region - primarily vulnerability to the forces of nature, including hurricanes, earthquakes, termites, rot and fire.

Upper end homes, with larger budgets for construction, were most likely to be built to withstand these forces of nature. Middle income homes tended to be built to a lesser standard, due to budget restraints, and therefore, this sector suffered the most damage. Those who could least afford it, were the most seriously impacted by tropical storms.

Mr. Holzman was looking for a building system that was engineered to withstand hurricanes, and could be used for a broad spectrum of housing needs, from low-income housing to luxury vacation homes. This search led to a partnership with Force 10 Holdings, Ltd. In Brisbane, Australia. Force 10 had successfully designed a building system engineered to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. Their factory in Australia had manufactured and shipped schools, hospitals, hotels, and houses to remote islands in the Pacific. Components could be packed into containers and shipped to any location. Force 10 would then train a local labor force to erect the structure. The result was buildings engineered to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes (and backed by Force 10 with a 10 year structural warranty, as well as, a product component guarantee), built out of high-quality, low-maintenance materials, and quickly and easily assembled by a local labor force.

Since 1993, Mr. Holzman has built 12 private homes on St. John and an addition to a commercial building on St. Thomas. Over one-hundred houses have been built on Aruba as part of the FCCA affordable housing program, and one hundred are being built on Montserrat as part of the Montserrat Immediate Housing Project (MIHP). The Nevis government has chosen the Force 10 system for a new school and the new Ministry of Agriculture Building. Recently, key government leaders have expressed concern for providing their constituents with safe hurricane shelters. By using the Force 10 System for schools, clinics, or government buildings, the need for safe shelters is also met.

Another issue for homeowners, as we face the 1999 hurricane season, is the cost of insurance. Insurance costs have skyrocketed in areas hit by Hurricanes Luis, Marilyn, Bertha, George and Mitch and many homeowners cannot get insurance for their homes.

Recently, several insurance companies throughout the Caribbean are reducing rates for homes that meet engineering standards for hurricane resistance. Currently, in Hawaii, Force 10 homes qualify for a 50% reduction of hurricane insurance rates - 70% with the addition of Dade County, Florida approved window shutters. We expect to see similar savings offered by insurance companies in the Caribbean for Force 10 homes.

Currently, the Force 10 System can be used to build homes at a cost slightly less than conventional masonry homes built to an equivalent engineering standard. As insurance companies demand that homes and buildings be constructed to a standard similar to Force 10, conventional construction methods will become more expensive. This will make the Force 10 System an even more attractive option.

As island nations seek to rebuild and protect themselves from future storms, it is imperative that we analyze our building practices and seek solutions to past problems. The Force 10 Building System is an affordable way to achieve these goals. Homeowners will save money in the short run from reduced insurance premiums and the save in the long run from building a home that can withstand hurricanes and earthquakes. We can envision a future for our islands where a hurricane is simply a natural phenomena, not a natural disaster.

Newsletter-April/May 1999

The people of Montserrat have suffered tremendously from the destruction caused by volcanic eruptions over the past three years. But the residents of this beautiful island are determined to build new homes to replace the structures that have been destroyed or are still in harm's way. The tenacity, spirit and love for their homeland has convinced the British Government to provide the funding to Montserrat for the construction of new homes, schools, government buildings and medical facilities. The Force 10 Engineered Building System has been providing high quality, hurricane and earthquake resistant homes in the Caribbean for the past six years and is proud to have been chosen as one of the main suppliers of building products for this program.

The British Government's Department of International Development has ordered 100 Force 10 housing units for the Montserrat Immediate Housing Project, which are currently under construction. Brown & Root Services, the construction managers for the project, chose the Force 10 System over several others because it was the only system-built housing that met all the design criteria for this disaster plagued island. Not only was Force 10 able to satisfy or exceed the detailed hurricane, earthquake, fire, termite and rot resistant specifications, as well as the rapid building schedule, but they were also able to supply the building components at the most competitive price.

Montserrat, a small British protectorate in the Caribbean, has been suffering from severe and frequent volcanic explosions and earth tremors for the past three years. Hurricane Hugo also inflicted substantial damage to many homes and public buildings in 1989. All of the new homes being constructed must be able to resist the frequent hurricanes with their devastating high winds that have caused this area to be labeled, "Hurricane Alley".

Several Montserrat Government Ministry buildings have been ordered as well as a new building for the Catholic Presbytery, which is currently nearing completion in record time. John Ryan of Ryan Investments, is the Force 10 Dealer on island. His construction crew, as well as the crews of several other local builders, have been trained in the new construction technologies by skilled trainers from Force 10 Australia. The Montserrat builders have found that the Force 10 construction schedule, from start to building completion, is considerably faster than conventional masonry construction. By utilizing pre-cut steel and cement board components that are manufactured to reduce labor, mistakes and waste on site, the Force 10 structures take less time to "dry" the building in, thereby reducing delays that plague many construction projects throughout the region.

Aruba

Many regional builders and government agencies have been searching for a high quality building system that will reduce completion schedules, resist nature's destructive forces and be affordable, as well as attractive, for all segments of the population. The rapid construction and excellent finish of the Force 10 homes has helped convince residents of Aruba to order over 150 homes since 1995.

A 120 unit, government sponsored, affordable home project is currently nearing completion. Alan Riley, Director of RE/MAX Aruba, Inc. is the Force 10 Dealer and Builder in Aruba. He has designed and built over thirty custom homes on Aruba using the Force 10 System, including a lovely two-story home for his family. A new state of the art medical clinic for plastic surgery is nearing completion using this new technology building system.

St. John

Since February 1993, a dozen Force 10 homes have been built on St. John for the affordable housing and vacation home rental markets. Many people were skeptical of the strength of this revolutionary building system. Their skepticism was soon converted to admiration, as a result of the active hurricane seasons of 1995 and 1996 and 1998, when the superior engineered strength of these homes was clearly demonstrated. Not one Force 10 home received any structural damage during Hurricanes Luis, Marilyn, Bertha or Georges, in neighborhoods where dozens of conventionally built homes were completely destroyed. Many Force 10 homeowners remained in their homes during these storms and are happy to report that they felt safe, stayed dry and even slept when the high winds were causing so much damage to other homes.

Nevis

The small island of Nevis has been experiencing a rapidly expanding tourist-based economy in the past seven years due to the completion of one of the most popular hotels in the Caribbean. The Nevis Island Administration has requested Force 10 to build a 10,500 square foot school and a 4,500 square foot government office building. The materials for these two buildings were manufactured, containerized and shipped in March, 1999. The construction for the concrete foundations started in April, 1999 and the Force 10 components for both of the structures will be assembled on Nevis in May and June with the assistance of two skilled Force 10 Trainers.

Several other islands have small Force 10 projects underway. A custom designed two story home is nearing completion on Antigua. Three lovely affordable homes are under construction in Red Hook, St. Thomas and construction on three more will begin soon.

Please contact any of the Force 10 Dealers to arrange an inspection tour of these projects.