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American International Industries, Inc. Acquires Marald, Inc.

22 March 1999

American International Industries, Inc. Acquires Marald, Inc. dba Unlimited Coatings

    KEMAH, Texas, March 22 -- American International Industries,
Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: EDII) announced today the acquisition of Marald,
Inc. dba Unlimited Coatings.  Unlimited Coatings distributes specialty
chemicals to the automotive after-market and is best known for its spray-in
bedliners for trucks.  The company's products, marketed under the 'Toro Liner'
name, have a broad distribution network throughout the United States and
internationally, through a system of approximately 100 independent
distributors.
    "Demand for spray-in bedliners has grown immensely over the last few
years.  With trucks outselling cars two-to-one in 1998, and the trend to steer
away from drop-in bedliners, spray-in applications are requested more
frequently than ever before.  Truck owners are seeing the benefits of a spray-
in liner as opposed to the drop-in types, which often trap water and dirt
between the liner and the bed of the truck, leading to rust, mold and mildew
which damage the vehicle," cites John Stump, CFO, American International
Industries, Inc.
    Stump continues, "We project sales of spray-in bedliners in 1999 to
increase 35-40 % over levels achieved in 1998.  For the next five years, it is
estimated we will experience strong demand for the product; as individual
truck owners, fleet owners and government agencies realize the positive
features of 'Toro Liner' and affiliated products."
    Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Unlimited Coatings has an excellent
reputation for quality products and service, and is one of the leading
companies in the spray-in truck bedliner market.  The Company also markets
specialty chemicals, including rustproofing, undercoating, fabric protectants,
fuel additives and performance enhancement chemicals related to the automotive
after-market.  'Toro Liner' has diverse industrial marine and commercial
applications.
    American International Industries, Inc., is a growing holding company,
with interests in industry, finance, media/communications, real estate, oil
and gas.  The Company, whose offices are located in Kemah, Texas, made its
first acquisition in 1996 with the vision of developing and diversifying its
holdings through the additional acquisition of existing companies.  Applying
their financial resources and management expertise to promote the growth and
profitability of the acquired businesses, the holding company serves as a
financial and professional partner in the management of the subsidiaries.  The
primary role of the holding company is to improve each subsidiary's access to
capital, achieve economies of scale by consolidating administrative functions,
and utilize the financial and management expertise of corporate personnel
across all units.
    This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties, including without limitation, continued acceptance of the
company's products and services, increased levels of competition, new products
and technology changes, the company's dependence on financing, third-party
suppliers and intellectual property rights, and other risks detailed from time
to time in the company's federal filing, annual reports, offering memorandum
or prospectus.