Littelfuse Announces Staffing Reductions

DES PLAINES, Ill.--Jan. 2, 20058, 2005--Littelfuse, Inc. today announced that it has adjusted employment levels at its plants around the world in line with its recent slowdown in sales and that it has also reduced staffing in its selling, administrative and other overhead functions. The company will take a pre-tax charge of approximately $3.5 million in the first quarter of 2005 related to these reductions.

"The recent slowdown in a few of our key markets has caused us to take action to better align expenses with current business levels," said Gordon Hunter, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We have now right-sized our manufacturing plants globally and reduced operating expenses, which will result in annual cost savings of approximately $5 million."

In a press release issued on December 21, 2004, which lowered fourth quarter sales and earnings guidance, the company stated that it would be "reducing expenses across much of the company without compromising (its) strategic initiatives in new product development and solution selling."

Littelfuse is a global company offering the broadest line of circuit protection products in the industry. In addition to its Des Plaines world headquarters, Littelfuse has manufacturing facilities in England, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, China and the Philippines, as well as in Des Plaines and Arcola, Illinois and Irving, Texas. It also has sales, engineering and distribution facilities in the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Brazil.

For more information, please visit Littelfuse's web site at www.littelfuse.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Any forward looking statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, product demand and market acceptance risks, the effect of economic conditions, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product development and patent protection, commercialization and technological difficulties, capacity and supply constraints or difficulties, exchange rate fluctuations, actual purchases under agreements, the effect of the company's accounting policies, labor disputes, restructuring costs in excess of expectations and other risks which may be detailed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.