Peter Harper
Director of Marketing
212-431-6100, ext. 267
p.harper@generaltools.com

GENERAL TOOLS ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF MANNIX INSTRUMENTS

Acquisition Expands Markets for Specialty Tools

General Tools & Instruments Company, a leading supplier of specialty hand tools for the Hardware, Woodworking, Machining, Plumbing, Electrical and HVAC/R industries, announces the acquisition of Mannix Test and Measurement, a leader in Handheld Electronic Test and Measurement Instruments.

The acquisition of Mannix will greatly expand General's markets with the addition of over 650 test and measurement instruments. Mannix handheld test instruments are widely used by professionals in the HVAC, Plant Maintenance, Occupational Health & Safety, Building Maintenance, Home Inspection, Sports Medicine, Agriculture and Laboratory markets.

"We are excited about the expansion of the General Tools product line and the new markets that we now have access to," said Joe Ennis, President and CEO of General. "The acquisition of Mannix embodies General's commitment of providing new and unique product offerings on a continual basis."

With the acquisition of Mannix Instruments, General Tools Manufacturing Co., LLC has changed its name to General Tools and Instruments Co, LLC and the Mannix instruments will be integrated into the General Tools and Instruments product line.

According to Ennis, General Tools will market the Mannix test instruments to General's current network of retail and industrial distributors in addition to growing Mannix' HVAC/R, plant maintenance, and manufacturing customer base. "With the underlying usefulness of Mannix instruments, we believe that there will be a strong demand for these products in our traditional markets," Ennis said.

About General Tools & Instruments Company:
Headquartered in New York City for more than 85 years, General Tools is a leader in specialty hand tools. Its extensive line of over 1500 specialty hand tools, used by industry professionals, technicians and do-it-yourselfers worldwide, has been supplemented with the addition of over 650 handheld test and measurement instruments through the acquisition of Mannix Instruments.

About Mannix Test and Measurement
Mannix has been designing and marketing handheld electronic test and measurement instrumentation for more than 20 years. Their vast array of products, widely used by professionals for Home, HVAC/R and plant maintenance, include meters for measuring temperature, airflow and air velocity, humidity, moisture, noxious gases, refrigerant leaks, light levels, current and voltage, and sound levels.