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Thomson Industries Acquires Airpax Mechatronics Group

18 December 1997

    PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., Dec. 18 -- Thomson Industries, Inc.
today announced the acquisition of the Airpax Mechatronics Group, a division
of Philips Electronics North America Corporation, a subsidiary of Philips
Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
    As part of the Thomson Industries Group of Companies the acquisition has
been renamed:  Thomson Airpax Mechatronics, LLC.
    The Airpax Mechatronics Group manufactures and designs sub-fractional
horsepower motors, digital linear actuators, gear motors and motor electronics
and has operations in North America, the Far East and the United Kingdom.  The
Group is a world leader in stepper motor technology, serving key customers in
the office automation, computer, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning
industries.
    John B. Thomson, Jr., Chairman of Thomson Industries, said:  "Thomson
Airpax Mechatronics represents a strategic diversification in technology which
complements our position of leadership in linear motion and our emerging
strength in control technology.  This will take us into new fields of motion
control and motor technology."
    "Airpax Mechatronics' products and technological expertise will expand
Thomson's horizon by enabling us to offer an exciting line of sub-fractional
horsepower motors to our customers and distributors.  The ability to provide
solutions to both linear and rotary motion control problems is a challenge we
all welcome," said William A. Pauwels, President and Chief Operating Officer
of Thomson Industries.
    In addition to Thomson Airpax Mechatronics, the Thomson Industries Group
of Companies specializes in invention, design, development and manufacture of
linear motion products and includes:

    1. Thomson Industries, Inc., Port Washington, New York, inventor of the
recirculating linear ball and roller bearings:  the Ball Bushing* bearing and
the RoundWay* bearing.  Thomson also invented the Nyliner* engineered polymer
bearing for linear and rotary motion.
    2. Thomson Saginaw Ball Screw Company, LLC, Saginaw, Michigan, inventor of
Saginaw* ball screws and ball splines for aerospace and industrial
applications.
    3. Thomson 60 Case, LLC, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a pioneer in the
development of 60 Case* LinearRace* (shafting), a precision inner race, for
use with linear Ball Bushing and RoundWay bearings.
    4. Thomson Precision Ball Company, LLC, Bristol and Unionville,
Connecticut, a leading producer of precision bearing balls for Thomson bearing
and ball screw products, and those of other manufacturers.
    5. Thomson Bay Company, LLC, Bay City, Michigan, a manufacturer of high-
volume electromotive actuators and ProfileRail* linear guides, including the
Thomson-invented AccuGlide* linear ball guides and the AccuMax* linear roller
guides -- the world's most advanced machine tool bearing.
    6. Thomson IBL Company, Barnstaple, United Kingdom, a manufacturer of high
precision ball screws and lead screws for the machine tool, equipment and
instrumentation markets.
    7. Thomson Micron, LLC, Ronkonkoma, New York, a leading producer of True*
planetary gearheads, position feedback transducers and other custom-engineered
products.

    For information concerning Thomson Airpax Mechatronics Group products,
call Janet Hartley, Public Relations, at 516-883-8000 extension 1892.

    Thomson manufactures Super Smart Ball Bushing* bearings, 60 Case*
LinearRace* (shafts), Thomson Saginaw* and IBL* ball screws, RoundRail*,
SmartRail* and ProfileRail* linear guides, linear motion systems and controls,
Micron True Planetary* gearheads, Nyliner* engineered polymer bearings and
precision bearing balls.  All Thomson Industries manufacturing locations are
ISO 9000 certified and operate to QS-9000 standards.  Thomson is a General
Motors Supplier of the Year for 1995 and 1996.  Visit Thomson's Web Site at
http://www.thomsonindustries.com; E-mail thomson@thomsonmail.com.

    *Trademark of Thomson Industries, Inc.  THOMSON is registered in the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Offices and in other countries.  Airpax is a licensed
trademark of Philips Electronics North America Corporation.

SOURCE  Thomson Industries, Inc.