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Exmark Announces Significant Expansion With The Purchase

Of Former American Tool/Newell Rubbermaid Facility

Beatrice, Neb. (­January 9, 2004) - Exmark announced today that it has purchased a former American Tool/Newell Rubbermaid plant.   American Tool ceased manufacturing operations in the plant on December 31, 2003.   Exmark has also hired a number of former American Tool employees into its operations.  

"Exmark has long enjoyed a close working relationship with the people at American Tool, to the extent that we have shared key employees with them in various production roles over the past two years," said Exmark President, Mark Stinson.   "This relationship, along with our early knowledge of Newell Rubbermaid's plans to cease manufacturing at the American Tool plant, has made the transition less complicated, both for Exmark and for the 25 American Tool employees that have been hired full-time into our welding, paint and assembly operations."

The purchase of the facility, which sits on 6.7 acres of land located adjacent to Exmark's current Beatrice, Neb., headquarters, will give the company 49,500 square feet of needed room to expand its product testing facilities and manufacturing capacity.   Stinson said that the company would invest about $800,000 to renovate the space and build a new 17,500 square foot engineering and testing facility.   In the new testing facility, Exmark engineers will be able to perform all types of equipment, engine and component endurance testing, as well as testing for ANSI safety standards compliance.   The remaining 32,000 square feet of space will be used for expansion of manufacturing operations.   Renovation to the building is expected to be complete by May 15, 2004.

Exmark Manufacturing was incorporated in 1982 and has been engaged, since its inception, in the design and manufacture of innovative, mid-size commercial walk-behind and riding lawnmowers for the landscape maintenance professional.   Exmark's professional grade products are sold to distributors, who in turn, market to dealers throughout the continental United States and Canada.

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Note to Editors :   For more information, please direct all inquiries to Exmark Mfg. Co., Inc. Industrial Park N.W., P.O. Box 808, Beatrice, NE 68310-0808; (402) 223-6300; Fax (402) 223-6384; Web site address: http://www.exmark.com.

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