Southwall Names Kevin Walker as Vice President of Worldwide Marketing

    PALO ALTO, Calif.--July 1, 2003--Southwall Technologies Inc. , a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of thin-film coatings for the automotive glass, electronic display and architectural markets, has named N. Kevin Walker to the position of vice president of Worldwide Marketing. Walker most recently served as marketing manager for Rogers Corporation Advanced Circuit Materials Division in Chandler, Arizona. In his new position Walker will report to Thomas G. Hood, president and chief executive officer, of Southwall.
    Prior to his most recent assignment with Rogers, Walker was a sales representative for Merix, a high-technology printed circuit fabricator. Before that, he was marketing manager for the Rogers Soladyne business unit for 5 years, until Merix acquired it. In addition, he has held various sales engineering positions with other technology companies. Walker has a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University.
    "I'm very pleased that Kevin has decided to join us," said Hood. "He is an excellent complement to our present management team. We believe that his broad and diverse marketing and sales experience will help us to focus the company on better serving key markets and increasing sales in the coming years."

    About Southwall Technologies Inc.

    Southwall Technologies Inc., designs and produces thin film coatings that selectively absorb, reflect or transmit light. Southwall products are used in a number of automotive, electronic display and architectural glass products to enhance optical and thermal performance characteristics, improve user comfort and reduce energy costs. Southwall is an ISO 9001:2000-certified manufacturer and exports advanced thin film coatings to over 25 countries around the world. Southwall's customers include Audi, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Mitsui Chemicals, Renault, Peugeot-Citroen, Volvo, Saint-Gobain SEKURIT, Pilkington, Hewlett-Packard, and Mitsubishi Electric.

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), including, without limitation, statements regarding the company's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to the company on the date hereof, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented. These risks include the possibility that the company will not achieve any future growth or will experience losses, that Southwall's growth strategies will not be successful, that Mr. Walker's hiring and subsequent activities will not benefit the company, and that shipments to customers will be materially less than anticipated, as well as risks associated with its failure to meet covenants under credit facilities and strains on the company's liquidity. Further risks are detailed in the company's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth in the company's most recent Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, filed on March 31, 2003 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 30, 2003, filed May 14, 2003.