Ceradyne, Inc. Acquires Oil Drilling Bearing Technology

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Fri Jun 6, 2008 8:06am EDT

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Ceradyne, Inc. (Nasdaq:CRDN) announced today that it has acquired
certain patents and intellectual property covering a proprietary
technical ceramic bearing solution for "down hole" oil drilling. This
intellectual property was acquired from a privately-owned business
located in Greenwich, Rhode Island. The manufacturing of this product
will be performed at Ceradyne's Lexington, Kentucky location. A key
inventor of this new oil drilling bearing, Russell Ide, Jr., will be
joining Ceradyne as a product manager responsible for bringing this
unique solution into full production for use in the oil field.

   The "stack bearing" was developed using Ceradyne/ESK Ceramics'
advanced technical ceramic, silicon carbide, for the bearing and
erosion resistant surfaces. The bearing is anticipated to be rapidly
accepted due to the reduction of drilling down time. Two other energy
related bearing product lines will go into coal bed methane pumps and
steam assisted oil extraction pumps.

   Ceradyne paid approximately $4 million for this acquisition, and
will pay a royalty of 3% of net sales of these bearings for the life
of the patents.

   This new product line will be incorporated into Ceradyne's
Advanced Ceramic Operations under the leadership of David Reed,
Ceradyne's President North American Operations.

   Thomas Cole, Ceradyne's Vice President of Business Development,
commented: "We are very pleased to have acquired this technology as it
fits the Ceradyne vertical integration model very well. Through a
unique design and the use of our erosion and corrosion-resistant
silicon carbide ceramic, we believe this oil drilling product will
rapidly become the new state-of-the-art for oil drilling bearings.
Furthermore, we are pleased that Russ Ide, Jr. will be joining
Ceradyne."

   Ceradyne develops, manufactures, and markets advanced technical
ceramic products and components for defense, industrial,
automotive/diesel, and commercial applications. Additional information
about the Company can be found at www.ceradyne.com.

   Except for the historical information contained herein, this press
release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events
and the future performance of Ceradyne that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those projected. Words such as "anticipates," "believes,"
"plans," "expects," "intends," "future," and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. These risks and
uncertainties are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended dated December 31, 2007 and its
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission.

Ceradyne, Inc.
Joel P. Moskowitz, Chief Executive Officer
714-549-0421 ext. 8261
or
Silverman Heller Associates
Phil Bourdillon/Gene Heller, 310-208-2550

Copyright Business Wire 2008
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