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Ken Cleveland
Phone 540 245 1002
e-mail: ken@specialtyblades.com         

November 18, 2005

Governor Warner Announces Specialty Blades / IncisionTech Expansion in Staunton

- Tier 1 Supplier to Medical Device OEMs to Invest $6 Million and Create 25 New Jobs -

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Specialty Blades, Inc., will invest $6 million to expand its facility in the City of Staunton. The company manufactures precision cutting and piercing components. The project will create 25 new jobs and includes the addition of a 28,000 sq. ft. facility on the current Specialty Blades campus.  It will also enhance the product offering with the addition of new precision grinding equipment, point technologies, and YAG-based laser equipment.

Headquartered in Staunton, Specialty Blades was founded in 1985 to address the needs of industrial and surgical customers who require high-performance cutting and piercing components. Earlier this summer IncisionTech was established as a separate division focused solely on OEM medical device applications.  This enables the new business to create better patient outcomes through innovative incision technologies. Specialty Blades also recently opened a sales office in Shanghai, China.  This new office is focused on selling high performance products made in Virginia into the developing Chinese market.  This enables the new Endurium and Optima brands of razor blades to enjoy increasing global success.
 
“The markets we serve are expanding in both size and complexity, leading our business through a period of transformational growth. We have been very fortunate to enjoy strong support from both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the City of Staunton as we move forward with our growth plans,” said Peter Harris, Specialty Blades’ President and CEO. “Virginia offers great benefits for companies like ours, whose ability to compete on a global basis depends upon deploying innovative, advanced manufacturing technologies and developing the workforce to support them.”

“The City of Staunton is proud to assist Specialty Blades with their latest expansion,” said John Avoli, Mayor, City of Staunton. “Their advanced technology production process, as well as their research and development function, provide state-of-the-art engineering, quality control, and production employment for the community.”

Specialty Blades is located in Staunton's Green Hills Technology Center, and has over 170 shareholders.  Further information about the company and its stock is available at www.specialtyblades.com .

IncisionTech provides critical cutting and piercing components used in surgical devices.  Its unique position in the surgical market comes from a 100% focus on cutting and piercing device functionality.   This makes IncisionTech the strategic partner of choice for medical device OEMs seeking to improve patient outcomes through better device performance.  Custom surgical blades, needles, endoscopic scissors, and other cutting and piercing components are produced to the highest quality standards for use in endoscopic, cardiovascular, ophthalmic, orthopedic and general surgery procedures. Innovative solutions focus on new materials, new designs and new approaches to meeting our customers’ unique requirements.  For more information about IncisionTech visit our web site at www.IncisionTech.com or call 800-213-7809