ITW to Reiterate 2001 First Quarter and Full Year Earnings Per Share

     Forecast Ranges as Part of Salomon Smith Barney's February 28 Global
                     Industrial Manufacturing Conference

    GLENVIEW, Ill., Feb. 27 Illinois Tool Works Inc.
will reiterate its first quarter and full year 2001 earnings per
share forecasts as part of Salomon Smith Barney's February 28th Global
Industrial Manufacturing Conference in New York City.  During the
presentation, ITW Chairman and CEO W. James Farrell will note that the company
continues to forecast fully diluted earnings per share ranges of 66 cents to
71 cents for the first quarter and $3.20 to $3.40 for the full year.
    For people interested in viewing the ITW presentation via a live webcast
at 11:15 a.m. EST, you can access it through the following URL link:
http://www.veracast.com/ssb_industrialmanufacturing2001/clientaccess/23106184.
cfm .
    ITW is a $10 billion diversified manufacturer of highly engineered
components and industrial systems. The company consists of approximately 600
decentralized operations in 43 countries and employs 55,300 people.