Press release

Ohio Lt. Governor Accepts Top Manufacturing Award Ohio earns top U.S. ranking for Manufacturing Competitiveness

Left to right: Kevin Schmidt, Director of Public Services, Ohio Manufacturers Association; Craig Landy, CEO, eMvoy; Bruce Johnson, Lt. Governor, Ohio; Steven Cohen, Screen Machine Industries, Inc., CEO and President

CHICAGO, IL -- Nov. 29th 2006 -- Ohio achieved the #1 ranking in the nation for manufacturing according to the findings of eMvoy, a Chicago-based industry research group. Today, Lieutenant Governor Bruce Johnson accepted the award presented by eMvoy CEO, Craig Landy, at Screen Machine Industries, Inc. located in Pataskala, OH. Screen Machine Industries was one of the highly rated Ohio companies included in the results.

"Manufacturing has long been a cornerstone of Ohio's economy," said Johnson, who also serves as the state's Development Director. "This award is evidence that the changes we made to our tax code and the investments we are making in high-tech processes and devices are positively changing the outlook for our state."

eMvoy's findings represent a statewide trend in manufacturing competitiveness. Over 100,000 manufacturers were rated by assessing company stability, market penetration, technology and web presence. Only thirteen other states, including six in the Great Lakes region, were found to be significantly above-average for industrial competitiveness. The research group performs large-scale evaluations of US manufacturers as part of the services it provides to industrial purchasing agents.

Craig Landy, eMvoy CEO stated "It's especially fitting that we are presenting the award to the Lt. Governor on this factory floor in Pataskala. Lt. Gov. Johnson has demonstrated his commitment to manufacturing through a range of initiatives that promote competitiveness and forward-think fabrication technologies. Screen Machine Industries is a remarkable example of a winning formula for Ohio manufacturing."

"We are extremely pleased to serve as the backdrop for this important event recognizing manufacturing excellence in the State of Ohio. As an Ohio manufacturer, we are committed to designing and manufacturing the best machines in the business and we are proud to call Ohio our home." said Steven Cohen, Screen Machine Industries, Inc. President and CEO.