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Cooper Industries Acquires Two Electrical Products Businesses

2 August 1999

Cooper Industries Acquires Two Electrical Products Businesses; Firms Generated Combined 1998 Revenues of More Than $50 Million COOPER INDUSTRIES LOGO Cooper Industries' logo. (PRNewsFoto)[DM] HOUSTON, TX USA 05/13/1999    

    HOUSTON, Aug. 2 -- Cooper Industries, Inc. has
acquired two electrical products businesses, JSB Electrical plc, a
manufacturer of emergency lighting, fire detection and security systems,
located in Manchester, England, and Corelite, a privately-held manufacturer of
linear indirect lighting fixtures for commercial use, located in Denver,
Colorado.  In 1998, the two businesses had combined revenues of more than
$50 million.
    JSB will become a part of the Cooper Menvier division, adding to the
division's emergency electrical equipment product line.  Corelite will become
part of the Cooper Lighting division, complementing its growing line of
indirect lighting products.
    "We expect to realize significant operating synergies and productivity
gains by combining these businesses with our Cooper Menvier and Cooper
Lighting operations," said H. John Riley, chairman, president and chief
executive officer, Cooper Industries.  "At the same time, these acquisitions
give us additional flexibility to improve customer service, to enhance product
quality and to generate selling and distribution efficiencies."
    JSB's product line complements the products made by Cooper Menvier, with
both companies' products sold through many of the same electrical wholesalers
for use in the European construction industry and industrial markets.
Headquartered in Banbury, England, Cooper Menvier has manufacturing facilities
in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, with more than 1,700 employees
worldwide.
    Corelite is Cooper's second acquisition in 1999 targeting the indirect
lighting market.  In April, Cooper acquired Neo-Ray, a New York-based indirect
lighting manufacturer, broadening the Company's strong fluorescent lighting
product line.  Indirect lighting fixtures illuminate a room or highlight a
wall with reflected light, providing indirect, low glare lighting intended to
enhance comfort and productivity.  As a whole, the indirect lighting market is
growing in excess of 10 percent annually, driven primarily by the need for low
glare lighting in offices and workstations where computers are used.
    The Cooper Lighting division of Cooper Industries is a leading
manufacturer of recessed, track, fluorescent, high intensity discharge and
emergency lighting fixtures.  Headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois,
Cooper Lighting has manufacturing facilities in ten domestic and two
international locations, and approximately 5,500 employees worldwide.
    Cooper Industries, with 1998 revenues of $3.7 billion, is a worldwide
manufacturer of electrical products, tools and hardware.  Additional
information about Cooper is available on the Company's Internet site:
http://www.cooperindustries.com.

    Contact:  John Breed of Cooper Industries, 713-209-8835.