Charles Industries Teams With National Telecom Distributors to Offer "Stimulus Starts Here" Program to Recovery Act Awardees

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL--(Marketwire - Apr 19, 2011) - Charles Industries, Ltd., a leading provider of environmentally protected outside plant enclosures and network infrastructure solutions for fiber, copper and coaxial networks, has announced that four national telecommunications materials distributors have signed on as partners to the Charles "Stimulus Starts Here" Program. Graybar, KGP Logistics, Power & Telephone Supply Company, and Walker & Associates have agreed to support Charles' "Stimulus Starts Here" Program through stocking programs of key materials commonly used by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act awardees in broadband deployment build-outs.

The Charles "Stimulus Starts Here" Program addresses the product supply concerns of broadband award recipients -- including service providers, engineering firms and contractors -- through stocking programs with Graybar, KGP Logistics, Power & Tel, and Walker & Associates. These distribution partners are maintaining minimum stocking levels of key program materials, ensuring product availability to service providers challenged with aggressive deployment schedules. To address pricing concerns, the program includes maintained price levels throughout the award recipient's network build-out project(s). In addition, program participants will have access to lead time confirmations, project consulting, field training and 24/7 technical support.

Charles Industries supports the Recovery Act's goals of creating jobs for U.S. workers and furthering universal broadband availability to the underserved and unserved. Charles maintains four U.S. manufacturing facilities at a time when competing OEMs have moved production facilities and jobs abroad. Charles is fully committed to, and compliant with, the "Buy American" provisions of the Recovery Act.

Charles offers telecommunications service providers, engineering firms and contractors more than 300 Rural Utilities Services (RUS) listed products that have been pre-qualified for projects funded by Recovery Act awards. In 2010, Charles Fiber Flexibility Point (CFFP) and Charles Fiber Cross Connect (CFXC) fiber pedestals were added to the list of RUS-accepted telecommunications materials. Charles' non-metallic fiber distribution pedestals (CFDP & BDO), fiber flexibility points (CFFP) and fiber cross-connect (CFXC) pedestals have established themselves in service provider networks throughout the United States as vital network components ideally suited to meet and support their fiber deployment initiatives.

More details about the Charles "Stimulus Starts Here" Program and its distribution partners Graybar, KGP Logistics, Power & Tel, and Walker & Associates may be found at www.charlesindustries.com/stimulus.html.

About Charles Industries, Ltd.
2011 marks Charles Industries' 43^rd year as a privately held, diversified manufacturing and technology company serving telecommunications, utility, CATV/Broadband, 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 U.S. manufacturing centers. For further information and a list of authorized Charles distributors, please visit www.charlesindustries.com or call (847) 806-6300.