Altec kicks off pro division at Expo 2002

Altec Lansing ® Technologies, Inc. (ALTI), the long-time leader in the design and manufacture of computer speaker systems, announced today that it has formed a new division, Altec Lansing Professional, to pursue the professional audio market.

The announcement, made at the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) Systems Integration Expo 2002 in Denver, Colorado, promises a re-invigoration of the legendary Altec Lansing brand with sound system specifiers, musicians, and other audio professionals. Built on a history dating to the first talking motion picture, Altec Lansing professional products were a mainstay of the speaker industry for decades. ALTI plans to rejuvenate the brand through a renewed commitment to quality products, uncompromising design innovation, and in-house manufacturing.

"After more than sixty years, the Altec Lansing name still carries enormous weight with audio professionals," said Mark Lucas, president and CEO of Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. "Our Company's international reputation for design excellence began, in fact, with theater speakers made for professional use. Placing Altec Lansing professional audio products under the ALTI umbrella is one more step in our corporate strategy to not only diversify our current businesses, but also to leverage the incredible equity in the Altec Lansing name."

Returning to head the new Altec Lansing Professional division is Davis (Dave) Merrey, former president of Altec Lansing's' professional products group from 1985 to 1995. "Altec Lansing Technologies has done an excellent job of promoting the Altec Lansing name to consumers," Merrey commented. "Our division will benefit from the same marketing, operations, and logistics expertise that created ALTI's powerful consumer franchise. Also, in the last two years our new parent company has put together a stellar digital engineering/technical team, a strength we will definitely be leveraging."

"Finally, because ALTI operates its own manufacturing facilities, it is able to provide a much more reliable and consistent product than competitors who subcontract their manufacturing. Together, these factors give me great encouragement that the Altec Lansing name will attain a position of leadership in the professional audio field," Merrey stated.

"Dave Merrey is a key to making Altec Lansing Professional work. We're greatly encouraged that he has agreed to join us and lend his considerable knowledge of the professional audio products field," said Lucas. "With Dave's help we are melding the best of the past and the future in the field of professional audio products."

Also joining the new division's senior management team is John Sexton, who will serve as vice president of sales and marketing, and Duke Ducoff, who is director of business development. Altec Lansing Professional will be operated from office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Steve Schlangen, product manager for the division, is located at ALTI's corporate headquarters in Milford, Pennsylvania.

According to Merrey, "John Sexton's fifteen years of pro audio experience with both International and USA customers provides us key relationships throughout the world. Dave Ducoff is responsible for relationship building between the company and the worldwide consultant community, and with key end-users. These are top notch guys who set the benchmark for the type of team we are assembling."

Professional Ceiling Speaker Line Introduced

Altec Lansing Technologies is inaugurating its new professional division at NSCA Systems Integration Expo 2002 with a new line of ceiling speakers for airports, ballrooms, office buildings, houses of worship, and other public locales. The full-range, high performance speakers are available in sizes from 4-inches to 12-inches in diameter and feature efficiency, intelligibility and high fidelity sound reproduction.

The full ceiling speaker line, samples of which are being displayed at the Expo, is comprised of the following products:

· Four inch: full range, utility and premium grade
· Eight inch: full range and Duplex™
· Twelve inch: Duplex™
· Premium, low insertion loss transformers

Altec Lansing Professional expects shipping of the ceiling speaker line to begin in May 2002. Later this year the division plans to introduce a series of packaged products for auditoriums and houses of worship; other products contemplated for future development include speakers for theme parks, performing arts centers and arenas.

Altec Lansing Professional is debuting its ceiling speaker line with favorable payment terms and free freight for most orders. Complete details are available at the Altec Lansing exhibit, Booth 2427.

For specifications and purchase information about Altec Lansing's new Professional Audio speaker products, please visit the new Altec Lansing website at http://www.alteclansing.com or call toll-free at 1-800-258-3288.