TROESTER-ESI, Ltd.

TROESTER and ESI join forces to provide single-source extrusion systems to the industrial rubber markets

AKRON, Ohio, September 1, 1999-- TROESTER Machinery, Ltd. and ESI-Extrusion Services, Inc. have announced the formation of a new joint venture company that will provide complete, engineered extrusion lines for the processing of industrial rubber profile, tube, and hose extrusions to the NAFTA market. The new company, called TROESTER-ESI, Ltd., will market and sell complete rubber extrusion lines--from the extruder through the down-line coiling or cutting of the finished product--and will provide the necessary start-up, training and technical services for these lines. By leveraging the advanced processing, equipment design and manufacturing expertise of both TROESTER and ESI, the joint venture company will be capable of providing true, single-source convenience, performance, and assurance to the industrial rubber customers it serves. TROESTER Machinery, Ltd. is the U.S. subsidiary of Paul Troester Maschinenfabrik, based in Hanover, Germany, a leading worldwide manufacturer of complete processing lines for wire and cable insulation, tire components, profiles and hoses, seals, gaskets, and conveyor belts. In contributing to the venture, TROESTER offers expertise in the design and manufacture of extruders, die heads, gear pumps, shear heads, microwave systems, hot air channels, salt baths and infrared units, as well as process development and total system design. At its 25,000 square foot facility in Akron, Ohio, ESI - Extrusion Services, Inc., designs and manufactures a complete line of standard and custom downstream equipment for extrusion processing, including vacuum and calibration sizing tanks, continuous rubber curing systems, cooling and rinse systems, pullers and conveyors, on-line fabrication units, cutters and saws, and windups and coilers. ESI also provides turnkey extrusion systems worldwide, including all upstream and downstream equipment, tooling, systems engineering, set-up supervision, start-up assistance and operational training. "TROESTER-ESI, Ltd., combines the strengths of two great companies to provide a total system know-how for building and marketing complete rubber extrusion systems," said Mike Neubauer, President, TROESTER Machinery, Ltd.  ESI President Peter Anderson elaborated: "TROESTER-ESI offers true, single-source responsibility for creating total extrusion systems. Because both companies can design and manufacture nearly all equipment requirements for a complete extrusion line, outsourcing needs will be very minimal. That means customers will benefit not only from true one-stop shopping, but from top quality equipment with costs that should be competitive with the rest of the industry." Outside the 50/50 joint venture, both TROESTER USA and ESI will continue to individually serve their non-industrial rubber extrusion markets: ESI in plastic profile, pipe, tube, hose and wood composite, and TROESTER in tire, wire and cable, and sheet markets. Neither company has ownership stake in the other. No new facilities will be built specifically to accommodate the joint venture. However, ESI's existing facility will provide the manufacturing capability for equipment produced through the TROESTER-ESI joint venture, and an expansion, planned to serve ESI's growth in its other markets, will also be used to meet the joint venture's manufacturing needs. TROESTER's existing facility in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, will be used to house a production-type rubber extrusion line, featuring an extruder, a microwave curing system, hot air tunnels and various downstream equipment. This facility will be used for customer demonstrations, tests, and development trials in an effort to promote the joint venture's engineered system services and capabilities.

From left: Michael Neubauer, President & CEO of TROESTER Machinery, Ltd. Declan Smith, CEO of ESI-Extrusion Services, Inc. Peter Anderson, President of ESI-Extrusion Services, Inc.

For detailed information about the individual products from TROESTER and ESI please visit the individual web-pages at:

www.troester-usa.com    and    www.esi-extrusion.com