Meade Instruments Expands Manufacturing Capacity with the Opening of Modern Production Facility in Mexico

  
    
  
  
    
      Meade Instruments® 
      (NasdaqGM: MEAD), a leading designer and manufacturer of telescopes 
      and optical accessories for both professional and amateur astronomy 
      enthusiasts worldwide, announced today the full operation of its brand 
      new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Mexico. 
      Currently billed as the largest and most advanced manufacturing facility 
      in the commercial telescope industry, the additional 60,000 square foot 
      location will double Meade’s manufacturing 
      space, enabling the company to continue to set the standard for the 
      advanced, high quality optical, electronic, and mechanical systems found 
      in its broad range of telescopes.
    
    
      Meade’s wholly owned manufacturing operation 
      in Mexico, provides Meade’s expert product 
      engineers with full access to the most advanced optics manufacturing 
      tools and computer controlled machining equipment in the telescope 
      industry, ensuring the highest quality standards that Meade consumers 
      have come to expect from the telescope leader.
    
    
      “The new facility’s 
      proximity to our Irvine headquarters greatly increases our ability to 
      continue to push our legendary industry leading innovation while 
      maintaining and enhancing the quality control of our manufacturing 
      processes in real time,” said Steve Muellner, 
      CEO. “The rest of 2008 and 2009 are going to 
      be exciting as the opening of this facility enables Meade to focus on 
      delivering the most advanced and affordable astronomy products designed 
      for the amateur astronomer, educator and researcher.”
    
    
      Facilitating the production of many of Meade’s 
      professional grade products including the LX200-ACF, 
      the LX90-ACF and 
      the Coronado series of 
      Solar telescopes, the new factory's advanced optics fabrication 
      and testing equipment enables Meade’s 
      industry leading team of engineers to continue to set the standard for 
      advanced high quality optical systems like the Advanced Coma-Free system 
      (ACF). Every Meade telescope produced at the facility will 
      undergo extensive quality testing during production and final testing 
      just before being packaged and shipped to Meade’s 
      distribution center in Irvine, California.
    
    
      ABOUT MEADE INSTRUMENTS
    
    
      Meade Instruments is a leading designer and manufacturer of optical 
      products including telescopes and accessories for the beginning to 
      serious amateur astronomer. Meade offers a complete line of binoculars 
      that address the needs of everyone from the casual observer to the 
      serious sporting or birding observer. The company distributes its 
      products worldwide through a network of specialty retailers, mass 
      merchandisers and domestic and foreign distributors. Additional 
      information on Meade is available at http://www.meade.com.
    
    
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      Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: 
      This news release may contain comments and forward-looking statements 
      based on current plans, expectations, events, and financial and industry 
      trends that may affect the Company's future operating results and 
      financial position. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties 
      which cannot be predicted or quantified and which may cause future 
      activities and results of operations to differ materially from those 
      discussed above. Such risks and uncertainties include, without 
      limitation: the sufficiency of the Fourteenth Amendment to meet the 
      Company's liquidity needs; the Company's ability to execute on its 
      strategic initiatives and turnaround plans; the sufficiency of $8 
      million to meet the Company's liquidity requirements; as well as the 
      other risks and uncertainties previously set forth in the Company's 
      filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For additional 
      information, please refer to the Company's filings with the Securities 
      and Exchange Commission.