Ellison and Okuma Terminate Partnership in California and Minnesota

After a long-standing relationship spanning more than 25 years, Ellison Machinery Companies of Southern California, Northern California, and Minnesota and Okuma America Corporation, Charlotte, NC, have mutually agreed to terminate their business partnership. Ellison and Okuma have worked successfully and advanced together through the years to a point where each finds itself moving strategically in a different direction. Ellison and Okuma are making every effort to assure a smooth transition so that all customers will continue to be well served now and in the future.

This separation affects Ellison Southern California, Northern California and Minnesota only. Ellison and Okuma still maintain their strong working relationship in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

At the same time, Ellison Machinery Companies in California, Minnesota and Arizona are excited to announce a new alliance with Mori Seiki Machine Tool. Mori Seiki is a leading manufacturer of CNC Machines and integrated production systems specializing in CNC Lathes, multi-axis turning centers, CNC horizontal machining centers, CNC vertical machining centers, and CNC tapping machines.

On January 12, 2000, Jim Ellison and Masahiko Mori signed a letter of agreement outlining common beliefs, shared objectives, partnership responsibilities, and their unyielding commitment to the customer. "With this new partnership," states Jim Ellison, chairman and CEO of Ellison Machinery Company (Santa Fe Springs, CA), "we embrace the future, dedicated to each other's success and to providing industry leading manufacturing solutions and technical service."

Ellison is a part of Meritage Corporation, a leading supplier of integrated production systems and one of the largest suppliers of factory automation equipment and engineering services in the world with more than 800 employees located in offices throughout the United States and Canada.

Ellison Machinery Corp, 9912 South Pioneer Blvd, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670; phone 562-949-8311