ITW Directors Declare Quarterly Dividend

GLENVIEW, Ill., Oct. 31, 2003 -- The board of directors of Illinois Tool Works Inc. at their meeting today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 24 cents per share or 96 cents per share on an annual basis. This dividend will be paid on Monday, January 26, 2004 to stockholders of record Wednesday, December 31, 2003.

ITW is a $9.5 billion diversified manufacturer of highly engineered components and industrial systems and consumables. The Company consists of approximately 600 decentralized operations in 44 countries and employs some 48,700 people.