Press Release

Hunter Engineering Company Initiates a Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Hennessy Industries, Inc.

Contact: Rudy Telscher
Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C
Tel.: 314-726-7500

On April 7, 2008, Hunter Engineering filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Hennessy Industries, Inc. relating to Hunter U.S. patent numbers 6,952,964 and 7,320,248. These patents involve technology marketed by Hunter as SmartWeight® that simplifies the wheel balancing process and significantly reduces the materials necessary to effectively balance wheels, thus reducing the cost to perform proper wheel balancing operations. The lawsuit implicates Hennessy's wheel balancing equipment that includes the “Coats EconoBalance” feature or the “Coats EB” feature.

SmartWeight technology provides significant cost savings and performance advantages as compared to traditional wheel balancing methods. This technology eliminates excessive correction weight and can reduce wheel weight costs by 30-40%. It can also permit a single weight placement in over 50% of wheels balanced. SmartWeight technology allows the automotive technician to speed service while
providing a better balance.

Unlike traditional dynamic balancing which judges balance conditions based on correction weight values alone, SmartWeight computes correction weights by measuring, displaying and independently adjusting the static (shake) and couple (shimmy) forces that cause tire and wheel vibration. SmartWeight eliminates the static force and calculates the minimum amount of corrective weight needed to bring couple imbalance within acceptable limits. For more information, visit www.weightsaver.com.

Hunter Engineering, based in St. Louis, Missouri, is a world leader in wheel alignment, brake service, wheel service and safety inspection lane equipment. Hunter equipment is approved and used by vehicle manufacturers, automobile and truck dealers, tire dealers and automotive service facilities around the world.

For additional information contact Rudy Telscher, 314-726-7500.

11250 Hunter Drive • Bridgeton, Missouri 63044 USA • (314) 731-3020