Cooper Industries Opens New World-Class Manufacturing Facility in Saudi Arabia

Cooper Industries, recognized for its leadership, expertise and innovation in the global industrial market, has opened a new manufacturing facility located in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new facility is Cooper’s first in the Gulf Countries Continuum (GCC) and will function as a 100% U.S.-owned entity operating within Saudi Arabia, which represents one of the first of its kind in this region.

The new facility will significantly reduce Cooper’s delivery lead times for product orders and specification configurations in the GCC. Located less than 20 kilometers from Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran, the Cooper facility will offer an extensive line of electrical products, components and engineering services for the region’s growing oil and gas market. The new 50,000-square-foot facility has been delegated as an Aramco-approved facility for Cooper B-Line produced products, which involved passing the Saudi oil company’s strenuous quality management assessments and strict Saudisation provisions.

"The new facility in Dammam is a clear illustration of Cooper’s steadfast commitment to this important region,” said Cooper CEO Kirk Hachigian. "Not only will it bring first-rate employment, training and technology opportunities to a region that continues to grow and prosper, but it will consistently deliver high-quality, world-class manufacturing products to customers in Saudi Arabia and the entire Gulf Region.”

The facility is beginning its operations with the production of Cooper B-Line and Cooper Crouse-Hinds products for distribution to local markets.

Cooper B-Line will offer the region a broad line of cable tray products, including aluminum, steel and fiberglass cable ladder, as well as its cable tray and Flextray^® wire basket products. Cooper B-Line will also provide its best-in-class specification engineering services at the facility, which will provide pre- and post-sale engineering and technical support to customers throughout the region. Cooper B-Line’s presence in this area represents a continuation of the company’s investment in the global oil and gas industry, adding the GCC to its global coverage area that already includes offices in Korea, London, Calgary and Houston.

"Cooper B-Line prides itself on service, providing added value and engineering support every step of the way, from product specification to installation,” said Kevin Kissling, President of Cooper B-Line. "We were seeing opportunities arise in this critical region that required experts on the ground, servicing customers and projects in-person, rather than from across an ocean. With our presence in Dammam, our capabilities to serve and support customers throughout the world are greatly increased.”

Cooper Crouse-Hinds will provide a comprehensive line of NEC lighting products and switchgear panels for the region’s oil and gas industry. The company’s initial selection of products is expected to grow to include instrumentation products and IEC-approved switchgear assemblies, as well as additional leading edge technology product lines to serve the oil and gas industry throughout the region.

"The location of this facility will result in shorter product lead times that meet customer requirements, improved customer service and increased continuity in our relationships throughout the region,” said Curt Andersson, President of Cooper Crouse-Hinds. "With many projects requiring quick turnaround and attentive, on-location customer support, Cooper Industries’ local presence in Dammam is critical to our future business efforts in the area.”

The initial Cooper product lines were chosen to support target end markets in a region that relies heavily on the oil and gas industry. However, Cooper plans to broaden its product offering to support additional markets throughout the GCC in the coming years.

Editor’s note: For more information, please contact Tim Rice at (412) 394-6611 or tim.rice@bm.com.

About Cooper B-Line

Cooper B-Line, a subsidiary of Cooper Industries plc (NYSE: CBE), is a global provider of innovative, labor-saving support systems and enclosure solutions for engineered facility subsystem applications. Cooper B-Line's products are used in a variety of settings for the commercial, industrial, utility and OEM markets. For more information, visit www.cooperbline.com.

About Cooper Crouse-Hinds

Headquartered in Syracuse, N.Y., Cooper Crouse-Hinds integrates a comprehensive line of electrical and instrumentation products with expert support, industry insights and local availability to improve safety and productivity in the most demanding industrial and commercial environments worldwide. Cooper Crouse-Hinds manufactures over 100,000 products, including conduit and cable fittings; enclosures; plugs and receptacles; industrial lighting fixtures; signals and alarms; controls and electrical apparatus; commercial outlet boxes and hubs; specialized interconnect products branded Cooper Interconnect; and electronic components and protection equipment for process control branded MTL Instruments Group. Cooper Crouse-Hinds products are sold worldwide and meet all local and international code requirements. They are used in general construction or in harsh and hazardous environments across the globe, performing to the highest standard of safety and reliability. For more information, visit www.crouse-hinds.com.

About Cooper Industries

Cooper Industries plc (NYSE: CBE) is a global manufacturer with 2008 revenues of $6.5 billion, approximately 88% of which are from electrical products. Founded in 1833, Cooper's sustained level of success is attributable to a constant focus on innovation, evolving business practices while maintaining the highest ethical standards, and meeting customer needs. The Company has eight operating divisions with leading market share positions and world-class products and brands including: Bussmann electrical and electronic fuses; Crouse-Hinds and CEAG explosion-proof electrical equipment; Halo and Metalux lighting fixtures; and Kyle and McGraw-Edison power systems products. With this broad range of products, Cooper is uniquely positioned for several long-term growth trends including the global infrastructure build-out, the need to improve the reliability and productivity of the electric grid, the demand for higher energy-efficient products and the need for improved electrical safety. In 2008, sixty-one percent of total sales were to customers in the industrial and utility end-markets and thirty-seven percent of total sales were to customers outside the United States. Cooper has manufacturing facilities in 23 countries as of 2008. For more information, visit the website at www.cooperindustries.com.