U-Pack® Joins Nike Reuse-A-Shoe Program

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(FORT SMITH, Ark., May 21, 2007) — As part of a national Reuse-A-Shoe program, NikeTown retail locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco are partnering with their local communities in a drive to recycle as many shoes as possible during the month of May 2007. ABF U-Pack Moving® is providing transportation and logistical support for the effort. The collected shoes are processed into a granulated material called Nike Grind, which is then used for a variety of sports surfaces donated to underserved communities.

The five NikeTown stores are spearheading special campaigns in conjunction with local schools, governments and community partners to help in this drive for worn out shoes. The program seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of recycling while simultaneously helping to provide access to sport within these communities. Shoes are being collected at the Los Angeles NikeTown, May 9-30, 2007; New York, Chicago and San Francisco NikeTowns, May 17-30, 2007; and Atlanta NikeTown, May 26-27, 2007. Collected shoes will be transported to Nike Grind facilities via ABF® Trailers and U-Pack® ReloCube™ mobile containers.

"ABF U-Pack Moving shares Nike’s commitment to developing innovative ways of eliminating waste and promoting the physical activity of young people," said U-Pack Business Development Manager Kay Lynn Clay. “ABF views effective environmental management as a corporate priority. Our company is actively involved, both internally and through partnerships, in environmental innovations and practices designed to enhance environmental performance and efficiency."

Since the creation of Reuse-A-Shoe in 1993, Nike has processed over 19 million pairs of shoes and turned them into something new: high-quality sport surfaces where athletes of all ages can play. Los Angeles now has 12 Nike Grind surfaces providing facilities for basketball, tennis, soccer and a children’s playground. New York has five surfaces for basketball and soccer. Chicago has nine Nike Grind surfaces for basketball, soccer and a children’s playground. San Francisco has four surfaces for facilities for training, basketball, golf and a children’s playground. Atlanta has benefited from five Nike Grind surfaces providing facilities for basketball, football, soccer, tennis and track & field.

Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program collects post-consumer, non-metal-containing athletic shoes of any brand, as well as Nike shoes returned due to a material or workmanship flaw. The footwear is separated into three main materials — upper fabric, midsole foam and outsole rubber — and then ground up. Nike has successfully found constructive uses for all of the materials processed. Nike also uses recycled materials from the manufacturing of Nike brand footwear processed by recycling centers in contract factories located in China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

ABF is a business-to-business transporter of general commodities. In 1997, the carrier began offering its shipping services directly to consumers via U-Pack Moving. In doing so, ABF introduced an alternative means of moving residential and business belongings cross country. U-Pack combines the professional driver and equipment of a traditional full-service mover with the cost savings of a rental truck.

ABF provides guaranteed service for expedited or time-definite shipments via its TimeKeeper® service. Regional shipments are handled via the carrier’s RPM Network, providing next-day and second-day shipping. The ABF system stretches throughout North America, with local service centers serving all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guam and Puerto Rico. Globally, the carrier serves 250 ports in more than 130 countries.

ABF is the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation (Nasdaq: ABFS).

Contact: Mr. Danny Loe, director of marketing & public relations
Telephone: (479) 785-8803