8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  May 6, 2004.

Commission file number:

 000-15760

Hardinge Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

New York	16-0470200
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
One Hardinge Drive Elmira, NY 14902
(Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip code)
(607) 734-2281
(Registrant’s telephone number including area code)

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

 On May 6, 2004, Hardinge Inc. issued a press release announcing the declaration of a dividend and the Company’s intend to re-institute quarterly dividend payments.

A copy of the press release is included as Exhibit 99 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(a) Not applicable

(b) Not applicable

(c) Exhibits

99   Press Release issued by registrant on May 6, 2004.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Hardinge Inc.
May  7, 2004	By:	/s/ Richard L. Simons
Date	Richard L. Simons
	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Financial Officer)

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

	RE:  Hardinge, Inc.
	One Hardinge Drive
	Elmira, NY 14902
	(Nasdaq: HDNG)

AT THE COMPANY:	AT FRB | WEBER SHANDWICK:
Richard L. Simons	John McNamara
Exec VP & CFO	General Inquiries
(607) 378-4202	(212) 445-8435

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 6, 2004

HARDINGE INC. ANNOUNCES DIVIDEND

ELMIRA, N.Y., May 6, 2004 – Hardinge Inc. (Nasdaq: HDNG), a leading producer of advanced material-cutting solutions, announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.01 per share on the Company’s common stock. This dividend is payable on June 10, 2004 to stockholders of record as of May 28, 2004.

The Board of Directors also determined to re-institute the Company’s policy of paying dividends on a quarterly basis, as compared to its present semi-annual dividend policy, with the amount of its third-quarter dividend to be determined at its next regularly scheduled meeting with a September 10, 2004 payment date.

Hardinge Inc., founded more than 100 years ago, is an international leader in providing the latest industrial technology to companies requiring material-cutting solutions.  The Company designs and manufactures computer-numerically controlled metal-cutting lathes, machining centers, grinding machines and other industrial products.  The Company’s common stock trades on Nasdaq under the symbol “HDNG.”  For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.hardinge.com.

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