Press Release

Morris Group, Inc. announces its agreement to distribute Okuma Konan, formerly Okuma & Howa, lathes and machining centers

Premium performance lathes and machining centers to be sold through Morris Group, Inc.’s network of regional distribution companies

   Windsor, CT, July 5, 2007:  Morris Group, Inc. (MGI) is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement to represent Okuma Konan products, formerly known as Okuma & Howa, throughout much of the Eastern United States. This comes as part of a larger distribution channel realignment undertaken by KGK Incorporated of Buffalo Grove, Illinois and Okuma America Corporation of Charlotte, North Carolina. With this agreement, all Okuma Konan products will be sold through Okuma’s existing distribution network. “These are premium products backed by an outstanding organization in KGK International,” says Brad Morris, president of Morris Group, Inc. “We’re excited to be able to offer all Okuma Konan products to our customers.”
   MGI is headquartered in Windsor, CT and is the corporate parent to eleven machine tool distribution and finance companies.  MGI divisions that represented Okuma will now add a more diverse line of Konan products to their portfolio; they include The Robert E. Morris Company (Windsor, CT), Morris TriState (Pine Brook, NJ), Morris Midwest (Milwaukee, WI), Machine Tool Systems (Charlotte, NC) and R.O. Deaderick Company (Huntsville, AL).   Okuma Konan products will continue to be sold with the FANUC or the Okuma THiNC control.
   The 2005 merger of Okuma, Okuma & Howa, and Okuma Engineering created a streamlined and more efficient machine tool manufacturer in Japan, but essentially left the North American distribution structure untouched, thus creating overlapping distribution networks.  Okuma America Corporation of Charlotte, North Carolina continued to import Okuma lathes, machining centers and grinders with the Okuma THiNC control and slowly began to marry Konan products with THiNC controls.  The balance of the Konan products equipped with FANUC controls were imported and sold through KGK International’s distribution network.  With this realignment, all Okuma products will now be sold through Okuma’s sales and service organization.  “We’ve proudly been a part of Okuma’s exceptional dealer network since 1981 and look forward to taking this next step,” adds Brad Morris.

For More information, please visit www.morrisgrpinc.com.