Charles Industries Highly-Successful "Stimulus Starts Here" Program Helps Advance Universal Broadband, Create U.S. Jobs

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL--(Marketwire - Apr 23, 2012) - Charles Industries, Ltd., a leading provider of environmentally protected outside plant enclosures and network infrastructure solutions for fiber and copper networks, has declared its "Stimulus Starts Here" program, launched in January 2011 to support deployment initiatives by service providers who have received broadband stimulus award funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), an unequivocal success. In its first year, the "Stimulus Starts Here" program has met its objective of helping telecommunications service providers meet fiber project schedules, increase broadband availability to all corners of the United States, and create jobs for U.S. workers.

Charles reported that more than 250 independent local exchange carriers (ILEC) and independent operating companies (IOC) had benefitted from its "Stimulus Starts Here" program in 2011. Program participants purchased millions of dollars of Charles fiber enclosures and pedestals for their rural fiber optic network buildouts and overbuild projects. In addition to providing advanced broadband services to a larger footprint in the communities served by these service providers, jobs were also created for U.S. workers employed in the design and construction of these projects, and for the technicians that service them.

The Charles "Stimulus Starts Here" program was initiated in 2011 to addresses product supply concerns of broadband award recipients -- including service providers, engineering firms and contractors -- through stocking programs coordinated with Charles' "Stimulus Starts Here" participating distribution partners. These distributors, including Graybar, KGP Logistics, Power & Telephone Supply Company, and Walker & Associates, provide local support and maintain minimum stocking levels of key program materials. The program includes fixed pricing levels throughout the award recipient's network build-out to address overall project cost concerns. In addition, program participants have access to lead time confirmations, project consulting, field training and 24/7 technical support.

As a company, Charles supports the Recovery Act's goals of creating jobs for U.S. workers and furthering universal broadband availability to underserved and unserved communities, especially in rural areas. Charles maintains four U.S. manufacturing facilities that support the "Stimulus Starts Here" program and other broadband improvement projects. Charles is fully committed to and compliant with the "Buy American" provisions of the ARRA.

With the extension of the government's RUS Broadband Improvement Program (BIP) as funded by the ARRA, Mark Rahmel, director of distribution and special market sales for Charles Industries, announced that the "Stimulus Starts Here" program will be continued throughout 2012. Charles will continue to supply and support its CFDP and BDO series non-metallic fiber distribution pedestals, CFFP fiber flexibility points, and CFXC fiber cross-connect pedestals for Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) and Fiber-to-the-Cell Site (FTTCS) backhaul projects.

More details about Charles' "Stimulus Starts Here" program may be found at www.charlesindustries.com/stimulus.html.

About Charles Industries, Ltd.
2012 marks Charles Industries' 44th 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.