The Hope Group Presents Quality Award
To Parker Hannifin Hose Products Division

Northborough, MA (05-01-2007) Anthony Cantone, President of The Hope Group, today announced the first annual Supplier of the Year award was presented to The Hose Products Division of Parker Hannifin for the fiscal year 2006 in recognition of its highest rating among The Hope Group's suppliers for quality measures as required under the company's ISO 9001:2000 requirements.

"In accordance with our ISO requirements, we measure our suppliers' quality, such as lines shipped, discrepant material reports, on-time delivery, on a quarterly and annual basis. This year we have formalized our acknowledgment of quality service by recognizing outstanding performance such as the 99.85 percent quality compliance by Parker's Hose Products Division," said Cantone.

The award was presented to Lonnie Gallup, Vice President and General Manager and Jeff McKelvey, Division Marketing Manager, by Tony Cantone and Carey Rhoten, Chairman of THG Corporation. Also present at the presentation was Joe DeMarco, Hope Group Quality Manager and Randy Roy, Hope Group Customer Service Manager.

During fiscal 2006, The Hope Group purchased $2.2 million in Hose Product Division material, which made the division the largest single supplier to the company. "It's a remarkable performance to achieve such a high degree of quality when you realize it involved 11,254 lines shipped with only 16 discrepancies, which represents less than a quarter of one percent overall," said Cantone.

Of the 38 major suppliers, from whom The Hope Group had purchased at least $100,000 of products during the fiscal year, 35 were Parker divisions. Parker is a $10 billion industrial manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of commercial, mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. The company employs more than 57,000 people in 43 countries around the world.

The Hope Group is a leading independent distributor in New England for Parker motion and control products and services featuring hydraulic, pneumatic, fluid connector, automation, seals and instrumentation products and services. It serves as a Technology Center for Parker Hannifin in New England for Hydraulic, Pneumatic and Mobile technologies. It is represented in Maine by The Leen Company and in Rhode Island by Bosworth Fluid Connectors. The Hope Group operates in four of the New England states and has six locations including five ParkerStores, in Bangor ME, Portland ME, Manchester NH, Fitchburg MA and Cranston RI.

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