Meade Instruments Expands Manufacturing Capacity with the Opening of Modern Production Facility in Mexico

IRVINE, Calif.--(EON:Enhanced Online News)--Meade Instruments^® (NasdaqGM: MEAD), a leading designer and manufacturer of telescopes and optical accessories for both professional and amateur astronomy enthusiasts worldwide, announced today the full operation of its brand new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Mexico. Currently billed as the largest and most advanced manufacturing facility in the commercial telescope industry, the additional 60,000 square foot location will double Meade’s manufacturing space, enabling the company to continue to set the standard for the advanced, high quality optical, electronic, and mechanical systems found in its broad range of telescopes.

“The rest of 2008 and 2009 are going to be exciting as the opening of this facility enables Meade to focus on delivering the most advanced and affordable astronomy products designed for the amateur astronomer, educator and researcher.”

Meade’s wholly owned manufacturing operation in Mexico, provides Meade’s expert product engineers with full access to the most advanced optics manufacturing tools and computer controlled machining equipment in the telescope industry, ensuring the highest quality standards that Meade consumers have come to expect from the telescope leader.

“The new facility’s proximity to our Irvine headquarters greatly increases our ability to continue to push our legendary industry leading innovation while maintaining and enhancing the quality control of our manufacturing processes in real time,” said Steve Muellner, CEO. “The rest of 2008 and 2009 are going to be exciting as the opening of this facility enables Meade to focus on delivering the most advanced and affordable astronomy products designed for the amateur astronomer, educator and researcher.”

Facilitating the production of many of Meade’s professional grade products including the LX200-ACF, the LX90-ACF and the Coronado series of Solar telescopes, the new factory's advanced optics fabrication and testing equipment enables Meade’s industry leading team of engineers to continue to set the standard for advanced high quality optical systems like the Advanced Coma-Free system (ACF). Every Meade telescope produced at the facility will undergo extensive quality testing during production and final testing just before being packaged and shipped to Meade’s distribution center in Irvine, California.

ABOUT MEADE INSTRUMENTS

Meade Instruments is a leading designer and manufacturer of optical products including telescopes and accessories for the beginning to serious amateur astronomer. Meade offers a complete line of binoculars that address the needs of everyone from the casual observer to the serious sporting or birding observer. The company distributes its products worldwide through a network of specialty retailers, mass merchandisers and domestic and foreign distributors. Additional information on Meade is available at http://www.meade.com.

“Safe-Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release may contain comments and forward-looking statements based on current plans, expectations, events, and financial and industry trends that may affect the Company's future operating results and financial position. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties which cannot be predicted or quantified and which may cause future activities and results of operations to differ materially from those discussed above. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the sufficiency of the Fourteenth Amendment to meet the Company's liquidity needs; the Company's ability to execute on its strategic initiatives and turnaround plans; the sufficiency of $8 million to meet the Company's liquidity requirements; as well as the other risks and uncertainties previously set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For additional information, please refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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