The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) board of directors today appointed Mark F. Huston as director of the new U.S. research facility that will develop new manufacturing and machining processes for the Pentagon.

Huston, 46, a 24-year veteran of the manufacturing industry, including 22 at Kennametal Inc. , will begin his new duties immediately, said David B. Arnold, Kennametal's vice president and chief technical officer and a member of the defense center's board of directors.

"Huston's experience in product design and application, along with his excellent track record in building and managing technical groups focused on the development and application of customer-focused solutions, make him an excellent choice for establishing this as a premier research center of its kind in the United States," Arnold said.

Kennametal Inc., a leading tooling-solutions provider in the world, announced in December 2002 that it would operate a 30,000-square-foot research center that will be funded by the U.S. government. U.S. Cong. John P. Murtha (D-12th) helped secure start-up funding from the federal government.

The center will develop state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and solutions to ensure the quality, affordability, maintainability, and rapid deployment of existing and yet-to-be-developed defense systems.

The center will be built on Kennametal's 90-acre campus at world headquarters in Latrobe, and will employ about 50 researchers. Ground will be broken early next year and construction is scheduled to be completed in fall 2004.

"I am extremely excited about leading the defense center's mission of developing new and affordable manufacturing and machining techniques that will help the U.S. military retain its technological advantage," Huston said. "This center will enhance Western Pennsylvania's reputation as a technical leader in the area of defense research and manufacturing."

Huston began his Kennametal career in special-tooling applications where he worked closely with customers' manufacturing management in applying tailored tooling solutions to critical manufacturing processes often resulting in large productivity and quality improvements. His most recent role as director of global product engineering included responsibility for standard product development activities, lean engineering design automation processes, and the establishment of Kennametal's Advanced Engineering Group, again focused on total productivity enhancing solutions.

Huston graduated from Grove City College with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

In addition to Arnold, the defense center's board of directors is composed of Larry Rhoades, president of Extrude Hone Corp. of North Huntingdon, Pa., and Philip H. Weihl, Kennametal's vice president of global manufacturing.

Kennametal Inc. aspires to be the premier tooling solutions supplier in the world with operational excellence throughout the value chain and best-in- class manufacturing and technology. Kennametal strives to deliver superior shareowner value through top-tier financial performance. The company provides customers a broad range of technologically advanced tools, tooling systems and engineering services aimed at improving customers' manufacturing competitiveness. With about 14,500 employees worldwide, the company's annual sales approximate $1.8 billion, with nearly half coming from sales outside the United States. Kennametal is a five-time winner of the GM "Supplier of the Year" award and is represented in more than 60 countries. Kennametal operations in Europe are headquartered in Furth, Germany. Kennametal Asia Pacific operations are headquartered in Singapore. For more information, visit the company's web site at http://www.kennametal.com/

SOURCE: Kennametal Inc.

CONTACT: Investors: Beth A. Riley, +1-724-539-6141, or Media: Steve
Halvonik, +1-724-539-4618, both of Kennametal Inc.

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