Business Development Center Opened by American Ordnance At Army Plant.

Business Editors & Government Writers

MILAN, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2001

American Ordnance LLC (AO), prime contractor to the U.S. Army at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MLAAP), disclosed today that a business development center (BDC) has been established within the premises of the MLAAP in Milan, Tennessee.

The center will offer both fledgling entrepreneurs and established businesses seeking to expand, cost effective manufacturing space, support services and management assistance at the 22,400 acre Army reservation.

The ambitious program to assist the local business community is part of the Army's Armament Retooling and Manufacturing Support (ARMS) Program to open available facilities and land at under-used government-owned munitions plants to private sector business. Under the provisions of this program, the ammunition plants can find new life as commercial manufacturing centers.

The Milan Business Development Center is a collaboration between AO, the Tennessee Small Business Development Centers and the Northwest Tennessee Development District.

Mr. Rick Schweitzer, AO's Manager of Economic Development, stated "A marketing agreement exists between AO and Pendulum Management Company LLC (PMC) to develop and add value to the MLAAP by providing manufacturing services to the Gibson/Carroll County area businesses. Opening the doors of the new BDC at the MLAAP to community businesses is part of the strategic plan for improving the economic picture at MLAAP and the surrounding area."

AO is a limited liability company made up of Day & Zimmermann (DZ) and General Dynamics Ordnance Systems (GDOS), is the operating contractor at MLAAP and has a facility use contract allowing the dual use of the government-owned facility located in west Tennessee between Nashville and Memphis.

PMC, an asset management company headquartered in Charlestown, Indiana, is dedicated to maximizing the value of government assets and technology. PMC's managing partner, Mr. Sid Saunders, stated, "The AO/PMC marketing agreement allows PMC to work with the surrounding community to bring tenants to MLAAP and to help reduce the Army's cost of operation at MLAAP."

Additional information on the Milan site is available at www.milansite.com. For more specific information on Milan's BDC at the MLAAP, contact Mr. Rick Schweitzer, at AO, phone [phone], email [e-mail] or Mr. Sid Saunders at PMC, 1-800-797-7483, e-mail: [e-mail].