FI-TECH ANNOUNCES SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS Over the next few months Fi-Tech will bring on-line several new service enhancements to better serve its customers. By October 1, a warehouse expansion will be completed which will expand existing warehouse space by 25%. This additional space will be used to increase our inventory of spare parts to better serve our customer base in NAFTA. In addition, Fi-Tech is also expanding office space by 34%! AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY NUMBER Our space parts and service customers will be pleased to hear that an after hours answering service is now in effect. After normal business hours (8-5 EST), in emergencies, Fi-Tech may be reached at (804) 254-1283. Simply leave your name and number with the answering service and an on-call Fi-Tech employee, who can assist you with emergency spare parts or service issues, will call you back. Our new emergency number will be included in our normal after hours voice mail. AUTEFA BALING PRESSES Autefa Maschinenfabrik GmbH manufactures a variety of baling presses for the Synthetic Fibers industry. Autefa can provide low capacity Nonstop Balers for production outputs of 880 lbs./hr up to 2,600 lbs./hr, medium capacity Lift-Box Balers to handle capacities up to 6,600 lbs./hr, and state-of-the-art, fully automatic Lift-Box and Uni-Box Balers producing 32 bales per hour or 22,000 lbs./hr. Nonstop Balers have many of the features that are standard for all Autefa presses, but designed for smaller capacities. The baler frame absorbs all dynamic forces, thereby eliminating any transfer of energy to the foundation. The hydraulics are available in modules providing the most economical layouts. The pressing cylinders move without shocks or abrupt stops, due to a perfected control technique. The system also uses the Autefa rotary drum condenser for excellent distribution of fibers. The Nonstop Baler produces perfect bales for smaller staple fiber production lines or pilot plants. The lift-Box Baler utilizes the concept of two liftable press boxes on a rotating carousel. The Lift-Box Baler uses a prepress (25-50 tons) to tramp the fiber delivered from the cutter. When there is enough fiber, the boxes lift and rotate, and the fiber is compacted by the main press (75-500 tons). The capacity of the Lift-Box Baler is 3,300-22,000 lbs./hr depending on the material and whether the system uses automatic wrapping and strapping. This series of Autefa Balers is suitable for medium sized operations or large lines producing one type of fiber. The Uni-Box Baler system is specifically designed for high capacity operations and operations that use one press to bale fiber from different lines. The Uni-Box Baler can handle up to 22,000 lbs./hr and up to 32 bales if it is configured with an automatic wrapping and strapping system. The advantage of this system is that the baler can press fiber coming from different lines with the same main press. This is accomplished by using separate prepresses to tramp the fiber before the main press. Each prepress operates independently, with fiber being conveyed from separate lines. When the fiber is ready for final pressing, the box (Uni-Box) is transported on rails to the main press, where it is compacted, wrapped, and strapped. The box then returns to its original prepresses position to avoid cross contamination of fibers. SCHILL & SEILACHER: WORLDWIDE LEADER IN SPIN FINISHES Founded in 1877 by Karl Schill and Christoph Seilacher, Schill & Seilacher is a worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals to the industry. In 1949, Schill & Seilacher began supplying spin finishes and lubricants to the growing man-made fiber industry. Today, Schill & Seilacher is one of the largest worldwide suppliers of spin finishes with several hundred customers in more than 60 countries. The CHM group is responsible for the development, manufacturing, and distribution of spin finishes for the man-made fiber industry and is the largest division within Schill & Seilacher. Fi-Tech began representing Schill & Seilacher in the United States in 1990 for fiber finishes and surfactants and this year began marketing their products in Mexico as well. In 1994, Schill & Seilacher added a full time Tech Service Rep in Spartanburg, SC to complement Fi-Tech's sales and customer service capabilities. While Schill & Seilacher is widely know for its polyester staple fiber and POY finishes in addition to its surfactants for the polypropylene hygienic market, they have a complete offering of finishes and lubricants for the fiber industry. With a significant commitment to research and development, they are continually improving existing offerings while developing new finishes to meet the challenges of the fiber industry's newest technologies and products. Recent developments from Schill & Seilacher's Research and Development group include finishes for the latest Short Heater Texturing Machines, Durable Hydrophilic Surfactants for the nonwoven industry, and Finishes for the Fine Denier High-Tenacity Polyester Staple Market.

RESEARCH PROVIDES ZIMMER WITH LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY Now in its 47th year, Zimmer AG continues to be one of the world's foremost suppliers of plants for modern polymer and fiber production. The company's know-how includes its own polyamide and polyester production processes, as well as downstream technologies. Zimmer's long-term commitment to in-house R&D has enabled it to lead the industry in new designs and technologies. As a result, 45% of the polyester polymer capacity to come on-line worldwide in the past 10 years, has been built by Zimmer. Recent projects in the U.S. include new polyester capacity for Tolaram Polymers, Wellman, and Unifi. Zimmer has provided over 700 production plants worldwide, in over 50 countries. Current production technology for polymer plants includes: Polyester Polycondensation - Capacity up to 600 Tons/day. Polyamide Polymerization - Capacity up to 200 Tons/day. Staple Fiber Lines - Capacity up to 200 Tons/day. NEW DEVELOPMENTS New process technologies can be developed and tested in Zimmer's broad range of pilot plants and laboratories, in order to prove their commercial potential prior to full scale plant production. Recent polymer developments with new polymers such as polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), are of high interest to specialty fiber producers. Zimmer's patented discontinuous disc ring finisher provides flexible and efficient production technology for these new polycondensation processes. Zimmer has developed a new technology for modifying polyester for textile applications, which can improve the process ability of the fiber, while increasing the plant throughput. this technology, known as MOD 1, is also available for all existing polycondensation plants. Zimmer is also leading the way for "green" technologies for the future. They are currently developing new processes for the recycling of polyamide and polyester wastes, In addition, they have new cellulosic fiber processes in development that will help eliminate the environmental pollution problems associated with the old traditional technologies. The phrase "Zimmer Know-How" is well known throughout the polymer and fiber industries. With Zimmer's continuing investment in research and development, this know-how will continue to be a standard for years to come. STAPLE CUTTING BLADES Steinbrück & Drucks of Solingen, Germany manufactures the MOZART® series of chopper knives for the cutting of synthetic staple fiber and glass fiber. Fi-Tech inventories MOZART® blades for the standard Mark IV and Mark V Lummus cutters as well as custom-designed blades. MOZART® blades are made of the highest quality stainless steel or chrome alloyed tool steel. The manufacturing process uses state-of-the-art techniques for the stamping, grinding and heat-treating of the blades. This ensures that all MOZART® technical blades are burr free and meet the tightest tolerances, which means a longer edge life and better cutting performance. Special coatings, including TiA1N, TiCN, A1TiN and CrN, are also available. Steinbrück and Drucks will manufacture MOZART® blades to exact customer specifications including the material used, hardness, and bevel geometry. Steinbrück and Drucks will also pack the blades in grouped sets suitable to on-site production requirements. FI-TECH ON-LINE www.FI-TECH.com Fi-Tech is now accessible via the world wide web! Turn your Internet browser to http://www.Fi-Tech.com. We have designed our web site to allow visitors to view information regarding the products we sell and the companies we represent, as well as the convenience to request information on any of these manufacturers or products in the Synthetic Fibers, Nonwovens or Spare Parts markets. We also offer our visitors a direct connection to our principals via hyperlinks to their respective web pages. Our web site is also linked to an industry-related site, www.textileweb.com. Utilize the Internet to contact Fi-Tech, Inc! SALES@FI-TECH.COM In addition, we have established sales@Fi-Tech.com as a new Internet e-mail address for general inquiries. Contact us for additional Fi-Tech personnel e-mail addresses.