Kontek Announces Several Major Security and Recovery Projects

Contracts Will Bring Fifty New Jobs to Southeast Missouri

New Madrid, Mo., May 19, 2006 ­ Kontek Industries announced today that in addition to a number of innovative, new force protection technologies being developed, the company is now playing a significant role in helping the Gulf Coast prepare for the approaching hurricane season as well as helping with the recovery effort in Louisiana.

Kontek has recently received contracts from several entities in Louisiana to provide hurricane-resistant safe houses and modular building systems. Kontek is providing safe houses to shelter essential personnel who man the pumping stations during a hurricane in Jefferson Parish, La., as well as modular buildings at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Health facility. The products are set to be delivered in June in time for the beginning of hurricane season.

Among the reasons that Kontek has been chosen for these projects is the extensive research in ballistics and blast mitigation that the company has preformed in conjunction with Tyndall Air Force Base and the University of Missouri System.

"We are very happy to be working with Jefferson Parish in Louisiana and LSU as they prepare for this upcoming hurricane season and continue to recover from the devastating effects of last year's hurricanes," said Don Utz, president of Kontek. "These safe houses and modular buildings will provide crucial protection for many residents and employees in the state of Louisiana, while creating jobs right here in Southeast Missouri."

In addition to the hurricane preparation and recovery efforts in Louisiana, Kontek has also announced that the Department of Energy has asked Kontek to design, test, and manufacture a Lightweight Personal Defensive Fighting Position (PDFP). This PDFP will provide an individual, lightweight, and transportable ballistic barricade for defenders.

Kontek was originally tasked with meeting the Department of State's NIJ-4 requirements for designing the PDFP. However, after successfully testing various combinations of materials for NIJ-4, Kontek decided that it would investigate a lightweight PDFP that would exceed current NIJ-4 parameters. A Lightweight PDFP would serve to better ensure the survivability of the defender.

Also, Kontek has been awarded projects from the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration facilities in a wide variety of custom engineered perimeter defense products.

The new products will be part of an announcement during a tour of the Kontek plant on May 20. Senator Jim Talent and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson have both played an instrumental role in supporting these projects. They will be in attendance during the tour of the Kontek plant this Saturday.

"We are very thankful for all the help and insight that we received from members of our Missouri congressional delegation, including Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) and Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO)," said Utz. "They are very aware of the importance of these projects and what this means for the economy in Southeast Missouri. These contracts will result in upwards of 50 additional jobs at Kontek, nearly doubling the number of employees at our company."

"The research and development that Kontek has achieved is helping make America safer and our economy stronger," said Sen. Talent. "Defense spending means jobs for Missourians and this is an example of why small business is the heart of Missouri's and our nation's economy."

"Kontek is a great model of what can be achieved in Southeast Missouri," said Rep. Emerson. "The fact that they have doubled in size and are providing new employment opportunities in our area proves they have products that are in demand. I applaud them for all of their success."

About Kontek Industries

Kontek Industries, headquartered in New Madrid, Mo., is an engineering and design construction company specializing in homeland security and force protection solutions that help solve the most critical homeland security and defense-related challenges in the private and public sectors. The company manufactures the world's most technologically advanced anti-crash vehicle barriers, blast resistant barriers, L-8 and NIJ-4, .50 caliber armor-proof, blast-tested guardhouses, mobile mortar-proof troop housing, erectable mortar shield canopies, and modular buildings, which are earthquake, tornado, hurricane, and fire-proof, in its 150,000 sq. ft. facility. Kontek has provided modular blast barriers to the U.S. Air Force Force Protection Command and Control Program Office. It has also provided anti-crash vehicle barriers and other perimeter security and force protection products to 12 nuclear facilities throughout the United States and to two national security facilities: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. To learn more about Kontek Industries and its products, please go to: www.kontekindustries.com.