EXHIBIT 99.1


                                                                        Contact:
                                                                    Ed Dickinson
                                           Chief Financial Officer, 636/916-2150




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                   LMI AEROSPACE ANNOUNCES RESTRUCTURING PLAN
                             FOR SHEET METAL SEGMENT

         ST. LOUIS,  December 10, 2003 - LMI Aerospace,  Inc.  (Nasdaq:LMIA),  a
leading  provider  of  assemblies,  kits and  detail  sheet  metal and  machined
components  to the  aerospace,  defense  and  technology  industries,  announced
restructuring plans for its plant in Wichita,  Kansas. The Wichita location will
become a dedicated high pressure forming facility principally supporting Boeing,
Lockheed and Gulfstream.

         "It is  anticipated  that 2004 sales  volume  will be  consistent  with
previously announced 2003 revenues of $75 million to $78 million and in order to
produce  this  volume  profitably  and reduce  inventories,  we are  eliminating
redundant  manufacturing  processes  by  making  significant  transfers  of work
statements  between our sheet metal  fabrication  plants,"  said Ronald S. Saks,
President  and Chief  Executive  Officer  of LMI  Aerospace.  "We  believe  this
restructuring of our manufacturing capabilities and reductions in workforce will
improve our operating  performance  and allow us to  concentrate  our efforts in
Wichita on providing one commodity in a very lean environment."

         "Our  other  sheet  metal  fabrication  plants  are  redesigning  their
manufacturing  organizations  to better  focus on customer  program  management,
including a more  extensive  use of our  distribution  facilities  in  Savannah,
Georgia and Tulsa, Oklahoma," said Saks. "LMI will continue to develop and train
its personnel and use lean manufacturing  concepts to be successful and ready to
grow when the aerospace industry starts to recover."

         The restructuring plan includes a staged reduction in workforce and the
sale of an LMI-owned  building and excess equipment.  The reduction in workforce
of approximately 60 employees will occur over a five-month  period commencing in
January 2004.  The Wichita  facility  currently  employs 96 people.  The company
plans to transfer  all  extrusion  stretch  work to its Auburn,  Washington  and
Vista, California locations and its milling work packages will be transferred to
its Tulsa and Auburn  facilities.  High pressure forming work currently produced
in Auburn will be transferred to Wichita.

         Machining and Technology  segment  operations at the Tempco facility in
Sun Valley, California are unaffected by this restructuring,  as increased sales
at that facility are requiring added labor effort to support customer demand.

         LMI  Aerospace,  a  leading  supplier  of  quality  components  to  the
aerospace and technology  industries for 55 years,  operates thirteen facilities
that  fabricate,  machine,  finish,  integrate,  assemble and kit formed,  close
tolerance  aluminum and specialty alloy  components for  commercial,  corporate,
regional and military aircraft,  laser,  equipment used in the semiconductor and
medical industries, and for the commercial sheet metal industries.

         This press release includes forward-looking  statements which are based
on current management expectations.  Such forward-looking statements are subject
to various risks and uncertainties,  many of which are beyond the control of LMI
Aerospace,  Inc. Actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking
statements as a result, among other things, of the factors detailed from time to
time in LMI  Aerospace's  filings with the Securities  and Exchange  Commission,
including  those factors  contained in the company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2002.

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