Charles Industries Announces New Utility Sales Team Focused on Utility and DOT Markets

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL--(Marketwire - Mar 5, 2013) - Charles Industries, Ltd., a leading provider of environmentally protected Innovative Enclosed Solutions^™ and network infrastructure solutions, today announced that it has signed agreements with twelve manufacturer representative sales firms to represent Charles' communications, transmission and distribution solutions for utility and department of transportation (DOT) customers throughout the United States. Through the establishment of a national Utility Sales Team, Charles continues to execute on its long term commitment to expanding its market presence and coverage within strategic new markets, earning new customers through product development initiatives and unsurpassed customer support.

Under terms of the agreements, the firms will represent Charles' expanded portfolio of solutions for utility communications, transmission and distribution applications, including: indoor and outdoor cabinet enclosures for telecommunications equipment, alarm and security systems, smart meters, and remotely deployed electronics; secondary power distribution pedestals; intelligent channel banks; and riser line guards and accessories. The firms are also charged to identify opportunities for Charles' lines of non-metallic buried distribution pedestals and below-grade enclosures with utility service providers, contractors, and engineering firms.

"We are very pleased to announce our national Utility Sales Team and to have these experienced professionals representing our company. Charles is committed to identifying and developing new opportunities for Charles' product lines and to providing increased customer support throughout the United States as we expand our market presence in the Utility and DOT markets," stated Cindy Cary, National Sales Manager - Utility Sales for Charles Industries. "I am confident that our Utility Sales Teams' combined knowledge, experience, and established customer partners will enable Charles to better serve our existing customers and increase our access to additional utility service providers."

Joining Charles Industries' Utility Sales Team are the following manufacturer representative sales firms: AJ Industrial - Arkansas, Louisiana; Arizona Sun - Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas; Clifford & Associates - Indiana; GT Sales - Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, northeastern Nevada; Harrison Sales - Kentucky; Madigan & McCune - Florida, excluding the panhandle; Maydwell & Hartzell - California; Meglio & Associates - Missouri, Kansas, and southern Illinois; Rouzer Sales - North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin; Summit Power Sales - Colorado; Utility Specialists - Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida panhandle and Mississippi; Warshaw Inc. - New York, New Jersey.

The establishment of the Utility Sales Team represents the fourth branch of sales support for Charles Telecommunications Group, joining the company's established Telecommunications, Wireless and Broadband Cable Sales Teams. "The combined experience of our sales teams is a great asset to our customers," explained the group's Vice President of Sales Joseph Burke. "A solution developed for one industry often has applications for others. The vertical structure of our company allows for tapping into a vast knowledge base for solving outside plant deployment challenges be they in copper, fiber, wireless, broadband cable, utility or DOT networks. Our U.S.-based product management, engineering, manufacturing, and sales resources allow us to quickly and nimbly turn those shared ideas into products that solve our customers' immediate infrastructure challenges."

About Charles Industries, Ltd.
2013 marks Charles Industries' 45^th year as a privately held, diversified manufacturing and technology company serving telecommunications, wireless, broadband, utilities, marine and industrial markets. Founded in 1968, the company is ISO 9001:2008 and TL 9000 registered and headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, with four additional U.S.-based manufacturing centers. For further information, please visit www.charlesindustries.com or call (847) 806-6300.