TROY, Ohio, August 29, 2008-Hobart Brothers Company and Hobart Food Group announced today that the ITW Foundation, charitable giving arm of its parent company, Illinois Tool Works (ITW), will donate $75,000 to help launch the non-profit Miami County Dental Clinic, the first clinic of its kind in the county.

Scheduled to open October 1, the 1,200-square-foot clinic is located on Main Street in Troy and will serve uninsured and underinsured patients as well as Medicaid recipients.

“Basic dental care is important to both the overall health and well being of the community, and the ITW Foundation applauds the clinic’s goal of bringing needed care to those who otherwise could not afford it,” said Grant Harvey, Vice President and General Manager, Hobart Brothers. “This grant is part of the ITW Foundation’s ongoing commitment to making Miami County a great place to live and work.” Harvey also sits on the clinic’s board of directors.

According to the Ohio Department of Public Health, there are 11,025 residents of Miami County eligible for Medicaid, and another 13,030 residents considered working poor but not eligible for Medicaid. These two groups represent approximately 25 percent of Miami County residents. Further, a 2004 study found that a lack of dental care is the top unmet health care need in the county, and that 38 percent of Ohioans have no dental insurance.

“ITW recognizes the important contribution that local residents make toward the success of its businesses,” Harvey continued. “This is just one way of showing our appreciation for the hard work and loyalty the people of Miami County have shown us over the years.”

Illinois Tool Works encourages its subsidiary companies to contribute to the social, cultural and civic institutions of their local communities. Last year, the ITW Foundation, through Hobart Brothers, donated $150,000 to the renovation of the Lincoln Community Center, a project that helped the center continue in its role as a cultural hub of the community.

Hobart Brothers Company, a manufacturer of welding filler metals, and Hobart Food Group, a maker of commercial kitchen equipment, are both headquartered in Troy and together employ over 1,300 area residents.

Hobart Brothers Company and Hobart Food Equipment Group are wholly owned subsidiaries of Illinois Tool Works, Inc., Glenview, Ill., a diversified multinational manufacturer of highly engineered components, assemblies and systems. To learn more about Hobart Brothers Company visit hobartstaging.wpengine.com and for more information on Hobart Food Equipment Group, visit www.hobartcorp.com.