American Trim Receives $994,000 in Economic Stimulus Funds to Install a More Energy Efficient Protective Tape Line in Ohio Facility


A portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding is to help companies
improve the efficiency of manufacturing processes. American Trim will install a new line to selectively protect manufactured components using coatings produced in-house and then cured using UV light for a 95% energy savings over the current process.

Lima, Ohio - February 10, 2010

American Trim announced today that it received $994,000 from the State Energy
Plan to install a new state-of-the-art coating line to produce products for the
alternative energy, automotive, and appliance industries. The new coating line
will consume far less energy then the existing processing line and provide greater
product functionality to its customers.

Mayor David Berger of Lima, Ohio was joined by Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel along with several local and regional dignitaries to make the announcement in American Trim's plant on Baxter Street in Lima. "This effort by American Trim is part of a multi-year commitment by the Company to reinvent its manufacturing processes and pursue an agile manufacturing strategy with the express purpose of retaining jobs in Ohio and Lima in particular," said Mayor
Berger.

The new line, which uses coatings cured by UV light, will reduce energy consumption by up to 95% when compared to the old thermally cured coatings. This eliminates the need to heat the coating and the substrate, cure the coating and then cool the
panel back to a temperature that can be easily handled-dramatically reducing energy consumption. This new protective film coating technology will be marketed under the name SelectiveGuard(TM). These coatings will be selectively applied which
allows the part to retain the protective coating throughout the manufacturing process, continue through the sales process and into the consumer's home where the protective coating can then be removed. This is both a process and cost improvement for
manufacturers.

Steve Hatkevich, Director of Research and Development at American Trim expressed, "We are appreciative of the support from the Ohio Department of Development, the Mayor and our Representatives to make this possible. We will add over $1.3 millon of our own funding to bring this state of the art installation to our facility and create jobs for our County."

About American Trim

American Trim specializes in the forming, decorating, and coating of metal and composite substrates and is Tier 1 supplier to the transportation and appliance markets. These core competencies are supported and enhanced by American Trim's Design and Research and Development activities ensuring the most advanced and cost effective solutions for its customer partners.

For more information, please visit our website at www.amtrim.com

Contact: John Swigard
Director of Marketing
Phone: (937) 494-6507
Fax: (937) 494-6200

Corporate Address
1005 West Grand Ave.
Lima, OH 45801
www.amtrim.com

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