LEE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Southern Base of the Research Triangle Region

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 20, 2002

Contacts:

Bob Heuts, Director
Jane Haber, Administrative Assistant
919-774-8439 (phone)
919-775-5410 (fax)
info@lcedc.com (e-mail)

Media Web: http://www.lcedc.com/media/
This release: http://www.lcedc.com/media/releases/nr092002.txt


STATIC CONTROL SETS OPEN HOUSE FOR OCT. 5,
OFFERS RARE LOOK INSIDE WORLDWIDE COMPANY

SANFORD -- Visitors will have the rare opportunity for an "inside look" 
at one of the area's largest companies when Static Control Components 
hosts an open house on Oct. 5 in Sanford.

Company associates and the general public are invited to tour almost a 
dozen of Static Control's 19 buildings throughout the area that 
Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. It is the first event of its kind hosted 
by the company in three years and the first one ever open to the public.

"Static's greatest asset is our associates, so we value the opportunity 
to show their families and friends our company," said manufacturing 
manager Bill Manning, who has been involved in planning the open 
house. "We are proud to display our facilities used for manufacturing, 
engineering, research and development, sales and administration."

Just about all major buildings will be open when guests begin 
arriving for tours -- including facilities used for molding, assembly, 
packaging and distribution. The company's state-of-the-art Technology 
Center will be on display, along with Static Control's company 
headquarters on Lee Avenue.

Sites are scattered around Sanford, with exhibition buildings located 
in the Jonesboro section of town, at the industrial park off Broadway 
Road and along Lemon Springs Road. Guided tours and exhibits at each 
plant featured during the open house will explain how the site 
operates, and additional information about the event is available on 
a special web site, openhouse.scc-inc.com.

Static Control opened in 1986, operating in the basement of Ed 
Swartz' home, to provide computer and electronics companies with 
equipment to control static electricity.

It has grown to employ more than 1,100 associates and now offers an 
extensive portfolio of electronic instruments, electronic products 
and imaging components and supplies. Static operates not only in 19 
buildings around Sanford, but also through dozens of sales and 
distribution facilities around the world. 

Chief executive officer Swartz is excited about the opportunity for 
the entire community to understand how his company operates and why 
it has become so successful.

"People who choose to visit our facilities during this open house 
will come away understanding how Static has been able not only to 
continue competing on a worldwide basis but also growing at a 
double-digit rate -- even during a severe economic downturn," he 
said. "Static maintains that the best is yet to come."

The public open house is just one of two major events planned in 
what will certainly be a busy week for the Sanford-based 
technology company. Static recently sent invitations to local 
dignitaries and business leaders to attend a building dedication 
and plant tour the Wednesday before public tours.

The private ceremony will dedicate three state-of-the-art 
facilities and showcase Static Control's laser printer toner plant 
and innovative Technology Center. Though guarding the news 
carefully, Manning said the company plans a surprise announcement 
during the luncheon and dedication, a gathering expected to 
attract about 200 guests.

Static Control operates through three distinct business units. 
The company's first enterprise has evolved into the ESD Products 
Division, now the world's largest manufacturer of static shielding 
and moisture barrier bags used to protect computer chips and other 
sensitive electronic components.

The Imaging Supplies Division provides more than 3,000 products 
to customers worldwide who recycle and remanufacture laser printer 
toner cartridges for resale. More than 10,000 customers rely on 
Static Control for toner and components.

Santronics Inc., youngest of the three business units, 
manufactures innovative electronic testing equipment -- including 
the company's patented AC voltage sensor, a safety device used to 
detect voltage from outside a power source.

In recent years, Static Control has received several accolades, 
including the 1998 Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Governor's 
Award, 1998 Governor's Award for World Trade Success and 2000 
Electronic Company of the Year by the North Carolina Electronic 
and Information Technology Association.

The company now ranks 11th on The (Raleigh) News and Observer's 
annual list of top technological industries in the Triangle region 
and was named 22nd among North Carolina's 100 largest private 
companies by Business North Carolina magazine and Arthur Anderson.

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