Ritchie Engineering Relocates Recovery Division to Minneapolis; Company Will Combine Overhead Operations with its YELLOW JACKET HVAC Division

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--May 2, 20047, 2004--Ritchie Engineering Company, Inc., the leader in service tools for the HVAC&R professional, today announced a relocation of its recovery division from Garrett, Indiana to its Minnesota headquarters.

The move enables the company to consolidate operations with its existing YELLOW JACKET Products Division, bringing together both management groups to facilitate planning and utilize combined resources.

"This relocation will allow us to expand our scope of products and services for the HVAC&R and auto service technician," said Steve Ritchie, President of Ritchie Engineering Company, Inc. "By combining the overhead structures of the YELLOW JACKET Products Division and the Recovery Division, the Company can increase its overall focus on customer needs without lowering our service standards."

The move is expected to be completed on or about September 30, 2004.

About Ritchie Engineering

Founded in 1946 as a manufacturers' representative organization, Ritchie Engineering Company, Inc. soon became a hose manufacturer. With an emphasis on quality and service, Ritchie Engineering trademarked the hose as the YELLOW JACKET(R) Charging Hose in 1950. Since then, the company has been engineering, manufacturing, and continuously improving the YELLOW JACKET hose and adding new products to its portfolio. Today, the YELLOW JACKET name is synonymous with the highest quality line of HVAC&R tools in the industry. YELLOW JACKET products are sold worldwide through a network of authorized HVAC&R and automotive wholesalers. For more information, please call (952)943-1333 or visit our Web site at www.yellowjacket.com.