3TEX & Composites Specialists Sign Strategic Agreement at SAMPE Show.

Business Editors

LONG BEACH, Calif. & RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE) --May 8, 2001

Revolutionary new 3CARBONBILLET Products to Be

Demonstrated on Show Floor

3TEX, Inc. (www.3TEX.com), a world leader in designing and developing revolutionary 3D fabrics and composites, announced today at the SAMPE show that it has signed a strategic sales agreement with COMPOSITES SPECIALISTS, a leading distributor of specialty fiber and fabric materials to the reinforced plastics industry.

Under the agreement, COMPOSITES SPECIALISTS will heavily promote and distribute 3TEX's 3CARBONBILLET(TM) products throughout the Western part of the United States.

The SAMPE (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering) show, which is being held May 6-10, 2001 in Long Beach, CA, is one of the world's largest gatherings for advanced composites and next-generation materials. The show is featuring keynote addresses from NASA Langley's Director of Structures and Materials, Mark Shuart, as well as the Head of Boeing's Phantom Works Group, Dr. Thaddeus Sanford.

"We are moving forward quickly in our new relationship with COMPOSITES SPECIALISTS," said Brad Lienhart 3TEX CEO. "COMPOSITES SPECIALISTS has a top-notch distribution network and we were eager to start a working relationship with their executive team. Working together, we will actively promote the 3CARBONBILLET(TM) product line to a broad new customer base."

3TEX designed the 3CARBONBILLET(TM), a revolutionary new product that is stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum, to be leveraged in a variety of applications including military uses, transportation, and industrial construction. 3TEX has already designed and created automotive and high performance bike parts using standard steel and aluminum machining equipment. The results are clean, sharp part lines and bolt/bearing strength ratings comparable to aluminum. 3CARBONBILLET(TM) parts are 46% lighter than aluminum, will not corrode and are easily cut with a water jet.

Through 3TEX's patented 3WEAVE(TM) process, the 3CARBONBILLET(TM) product line includes preforms, composite billets, and 3D woven board stock. The patented process ensures an integrated composite, which will not delaminate, allowing designers to move composite pieces out of the mold and directly into the Computer Numeric Control (CNC)/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and tooling board arena.

3TEX's preforms and billets are being sold in 12", 18", 24", and 48" widths, and in 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1 and 1 1/2 inch thickness. 3CARBONBILLET(TM) products are made from 12K and 48K carbon fiber and consolidation through epoxy vinyl ester or epoxy modified resins in a resin infusion process. The 3TEX, 3WEAVE(TM) automated machines are capable of processing straight, carbon fibers in an orthogonal structure at high speed. These straight fiber pathways further accelerate resin consolidation.

About 3TEX, Inc. - Based in the Research Triangle Park Area, NC, 3TEX is a world leader in designing and developing revolutionary 3-D fabrics and composites. A spin-off from N.C. State University, 3TEX has design, product development, and production facilities in Cary and Rutherfordton, NC. With strategic alliances in place with technology centers and Universities around the world, and more than half a dozen revolutionary design patents approved or pending, 3TEX is developing next generation materials that are stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum. 3TEX was recently featured in Fortune magazine and was named as one of the "50 to Watch" technology firms by Local Business.