Material Sciences Corporation Announces New Marine Products

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill.--Feb. 2, 20047, 2004--Material Sciences Corporation , Electronic Materials and Devices Group, Inc. (EMD) has announced that West Marine--the nation's largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and apparel--will be carrying two of EMD's new marine products: SensaTank(TM) Marine 100 , a liquid level sensing system for holding tanks and reservoirs and SensaSwitch(TM), an electronic bilge pump controller for bilge pump activation. Both products appear in West Marine catalogues and E-store as of January 2004 and will be on store shelves by March of this year.

SensaTank(TM) Marine 100 and SensaSwitch(TM)--representing MSC-EMD's initial entry into the marine market--solve the reliability problems inherent in float switches and probe solutions conventionally used in liquid level sensing devices. Both products utilize patented Mirus(TM) detector cells, which use small micro-electric fields to detect level changes without ever coming into physical contact with the liquid. Mirus detector cells are completely sealed, require no moving parts and are impervious to the elements--making them an ideal application for the rugged demands of marine applications.

The SensaTank Marine 100 is used to accurately and reliably measure and display levels of three onboard tanks: fresh water, gray, and waste and will retail for approximately $200. SensaSwitch will retail for approximately $40. The complex technology behind these products belies the ease with which they are integrated into existing boat systems. Both are essentially "plug and play," which makes wiring and installation extremely simple.

"West Marine is the largest and most renowned retailer of after-market boat supplies in North America." said Gregg Pardus, Director of Business Development. "It's the perfect place to introduce our cutting edge products to the general public."

About West Marine

West Marine, Inc. is the nation's largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and apparel, with 342 stores in 38 states, Canada and Puerto Rico, and more than $600 million in annual sales. West Marine's successful Catalog and Internet channels offer customers approximately 50,000 products - far more than any competitor - and the convenience of being able to exchange Catalog and Internet purchases at its retail stores. West Marine's Port Supply division is the country's largest wholesale distributor of marine equipment serving boat manufacturers, marine services, commercial vessel operators and government agencies.

About MSC's Electronic Materials and Devices Group, Inc.

Electronic Materials and Devices Group, Inc. is a subsidiary of Material Sciences Corporation located in Elk Grove Village, IL in suburban Chicago. EMD supplies the automotive, recreational vehicle, marine, and consumer electronics markets with reliable and solid state products based on patented field effect technology:

-- Sensors- liquid level, position, proximity, speed

-- Load bearing touch switches

-- Innovative touch controls for user interfaces

EMD sells a range of standard products to solve specific problems in target industries and works with OEM's to design custom products that meet the exact needs of their applications.

About MSC

Material Sciences Corporation is a leading provider of materials-based solutions for electronic, acoustical/thermal, and coated metal applications. MSC uses its expertise in materials, which it leverages through relationships and a network of partners, to solve customer-specific problems, overcoming technical barriers and enhancing performance. MSC differentiates itself on the basis of its strong customer orientation, knowledge of materials combined with a deep understanding of its markets, and the offer of specific value propositions that define how it will create and share economic value with its customers. Economic Value Added (EVA(R)) is MSC's primary financial management and incentive compensation measure. The company's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MSC and is included in the Standard & Poor's SmallCap 600 Index.

Information about Material Sciences Corporation, Electronic Materials and Devices Group Inc. is available at www.msc-emd.com.