Parker Tech Tour "Innovation in Motion"
To Visit Customers of The Hope Group

During Two-Week Period in September and October
Parker Tech Tour Truck will Visit THG Customers

Northborough, MA – (8-18-2008) Phil Lund, Vice-President of The Hope Group, today announced that the Parker Tech Tour truck will visit The Hope Group and The Leen Company plus seven of their important industrial customers during a two-week period beginning September 29, 2008. These visits will coincide with plans for an Open House and Trade Show celebrating THG Corporation’s 75th Anniversary. THG Corporation is the parent company of The Hope Group and The Leen Company.

According to Lund, some of the stops for the Parker Tech Tour truck will include Katahdin Paper Co, E. Millinocket ME, Weidmann Industries, St. Johnsbury VT, Centoor Vacuum, Nashua NH, Hinckley Yacht, Trenton ME, Morgan Construction, Worcester MA, Koso/Rexa, W. Bridgewater, MA, and the University of Maine at Orono. The truck will also visit The Leen Company in Portland ME during its Open House and Trade Show on October 2, 2008 and The Hope Group in Northborough MA during its Open House and Trade Show on October 8 & 9, 2008.

“The Parker Tech Tour brings innovative products, hands-on demonstrations, inter-active displays and training classes directly to customer sites, where our customers can benefit most from the fluid connector and hydraulic information they need to do their jobs,” said Phil Lund. “It’s been our experience that our customer’s appreciate that the latest technologies are brought directly to the plant, keeping their production team informed about new applications, without having to send them off-site to trade shows and training,” said Lund.

The Parker Tech Tour vehicle consists of a 79 foot trailer and tractor with a combined weight of 78,000 pounds. The trailer is on the road throughout the year across the country and in Canada. Among the various training classes the topics covered include hydraulic maintenance, dry technology plumbing, tube fabrication, cartridge valve technology and the proper sizing of pneumatic systems. Also, as part of its “Innovation in Motion” concept, Parker has included a motion simulator on-board the trailer. It has a seating capacity for six people and is sure to be a hit for visitors as they experience Parker’s total system solution by riding in the motion simulator from Doron Precision Systems, Inc.

The Hope Group is a leading independent industrial distributor in New England. It has locations in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It features motion and control products from Parker, Kaeser Compressors, GE Fanuc, Cutler-Hammer and other manufacturers. Its principal product lines include hydraulic, pneumatic, automation, fluid connector, fluid power, seals and o-rings for industry. The Hope Group operates five ParkerStores, one each in Bangor ME, Portland ME, Manchester NH, Fitchburg MA and Cranston RI. Founded in 1933, the company will celebrate its 75th year anniversary during 2008.