Press Release

Company Trades Stock for First Time on NYSE Floor

PITTSBURGH, July 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MSA, the world's leading manufacturer of safety equipment, announced that John T. Ryan III, MSA chairman and chief executive officer, will ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Monday, July 12. The bell ringing ceremony marks the company's first day of trading on the exchange. The company's NYSE trading symbol will be "MSA."

"Monday's bell ringing not only signals the opening of the New York Stock Exchange, but the opening of a new chapter in the 90-year history of MSA," Mr. Ryan said. "Trading on the NYSE is part of our strategy to attract new investors."

"The NYSE is the global leader in providing companies with premium positioning in financial markets," Mr. Ryan continued. "We believe that our listing on the NYSE will enhance our ability to attract institutional and private investors through the greater visibility of MSA and our common stock."

Prior to July 12, MSA's stock traded on the American Stock Exchange (Amex: MSA).

The New York Stock Exchange is home to 2,744 companies whose total global market capitalization exceeds $17.6 trillion. NYSE-listed companies range from "blue chip," to many of the world's leading technology companies, and young, high-growth enterprises. Buyers and sellers meet directly in a fair, open and orderly market to realize the best possible price through the interplay of supply and demand. On an average day in 2004, 1.5 billion shares, valued at $47.9 billion, trade on the NYSE.

Established in 1914, MSA is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of sophisticated products that protect people's health and safety. The company has annual sales exceeding $700 million, manufacturing operations throughout the United States and Europe and 28 international affiliates. MSA's comprehensive line of products is used by workers around the world in the fire service, homeland security, construction and other industries, as well as the military. These products include self- contained breathing apparatus, gas masks, gas detection instruments, head protection, respirators and thermal imaging cameras. The company also provides a broad offering of consumer and contractor safety products, which are available through select home center retail outlets under the MSA Safety Works brand.

This press release of MSA contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. MSA cautions readers that statements relating to future aspects of the offering are forward-looking statements and are based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "targets," "projects," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond MSA's control and are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. For more details on factors that could affect expectations, please see MSA's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless legally required to do so, MSA undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE MSA