Plymouth Rubber Company, Inc. to Form Joint Venture in China

CANTON, Mass., Dec. 22, 2004 -- Plymouth Rubber Company, Inc. today announced that it has reached agreement with Hebei Huaxia Group on the formation of a Joint Venture company to manufacture PVC (vinyl) adhesive tapes in China. The deal is expected to close within 30 days. Hebei Huaxia will provide the new company with manufacturing assets and management, and knowledge of the Chinese market; Plymouth will provide advanced PVC technology and marketing support for international companies with operations in China. "We believe that the combination of Plymouth's and Huaxia's strengths will make our Joint Venture a high-quality, low-cost, and very effective competitor in the marketplace", said Maurice Hamilburg, Plymouth's President and co-CEO. The new company, to be called Plymouth Yongle Tape (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., will occupy a new manufacturing facility currently under construction near Shanghai, and is expected to be in production early in 2005. Other details were not disclosed.

Plymouth Rubber Company, Inc. manufactures and distributes plastic and rubber products, including automotive tapes, insulating tapes, and other industrial tapes and films. The Company's tape products are used by the electrical supply industry, electric utilities, and automotive and other original equipment manufacturers. Through its Brite-Line Technologies subsidiary, Plymouth manufactures and supplies highway marking products.