ITW Board Approves 17 Percent Dividend Increase

GLENVIEW, Ill., Aug. 6, 2004 -- The board of directors of Illinois Tool Works Inc. , at their meeting today, declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 28 cents per share or $1.12 per share on an annual basis. This quarterly increase of 4 cents per share -- 16 cents per share annually -- represents a 17 percent increase over the current dividend rate. The increased dividend will be paid on Monday, October 18, 2004 to stockholders of record Thursday, September 30, 2004.

ITW is a $10.0 billion in revenues diversified manufacturer of highly engineered components and industrial systems and consumables. The Company consists of approximately 625 decentralized operations in 44 countries and employs some 47,500 people.