EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

October 8, 2003

Torrance, California

Summa Industries Announces 4^th Quarter and Year-end Results

Summa Industries (NNM:SUMX) reports earnings of $948,000, or $.18 per common share, on sales of $26,688,000 for the three months ended August 31, 2003, versus earnings of $1,705,000, or $.33 per common share, on sales of $31,106,000 for the three months ended August 31, 2002.

Sales declined 14% from the prior year 4^th quarter primarily due to reduced sales of the Company’s lighting products, which are used in non-residential construction. In the quarter ended August 31, 2002, the reported EPS of $.33 included a benefit of $.10 per share from the sale of a facility and was after a $.05 per share charge for goodwill amortization, which was discontinued at the beginning of fiscal 2003.

	Three months ended August 31				Years ended August 31
	2003		2002		2003		2002
Sales	$	26,688,000	$	31,106,000	$	111,140,000	$	116,241,000
Income before cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	$	948,000	$	1,705,000	$	3,558,000	$	3,929,000
Diluted EPS before cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	$	.18	$	.33	$	.63	$	.76

The Company’s earnings conference call will be held at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time, October 8, 2003.  The call in number is
800-915-4836.

The call will also be simulcast and archived by  www.vcall.com.

Summa Industries manufactures proprietary plastic components for industrial and commercial markets.

For further information, contact James R. Swartwout, (310) 792-7024; Fax (310) 792-7079; jim@summaindustries.com or visit www.summaindustries.com.

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Summa Industries

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited)

	August 31, 2002		August 31, 2003
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	690,000	$	380,000
Accounts receivable	17,594,000		15,729,000
Inventories	12,313,000		11,645,000
Prepaid expenses and other	3,181,000		2,710,000
Total current assets	33,778,000		30,464,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	26,820,000		26,112,000
Other assets	124,000		2,518,000
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	36,843,000		9,422,000
Total assets	$	97,565,000	$	68,516,000
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	6,410,000	$	5,302,000
Accrued liabilities	6,001,000		5,015,000
Current maturities of long-term debt	5,066,000		3,896,000
Total current liabilities	17,477,000		14,213,000
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	19,845,000		16,219,000
Other long-term liabilities	4,658,000		2,601,000
Total long-term liabilities	24,503,000		18,820,000
Mandatorily redeemable convertible preferred stock	5,366,000		6,103,000
Total stockholders’ equity	50,219,000		29,380,000
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	97,565,000	$	68,516,000

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Summa Industries

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited)

	Three months ended August 31					Years ended August 31
	2002			2003		2002			2003
Net sales	$	31,106,000		$	26,688,000	$	116,241,000		$	111,140,000
Cost of sales	22,780,000			20,297,000		85,765,000			83,336,000
Gross profit	8,326,000			6,391,000		30,476,000			27,804,000
Selling, general, administrative and other expenses	5,878,000			4,654,000		22,634,000			21,005,000
(Gain) on sale of facility	(723,000		)	—		(723,000		)	—
Operating income	3,171,000			1,737,000		8,565,000			6,799,000
Interest expense	520,000			314,000		2,500,000			1,481,000
Income before income taxes and cumulative effect of a Change in accounting principle	2,651,000			1,423,000		6,065,000			5,318,000
Provision for income taxes	946,000			475,000		2,136,000			1,760,000
Income before cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	1,705,000			948,000		3,929,000			3,558,000
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	—			—		—			(22,343,000		)
Net income (loss)	$	1,705,000		$	948,000	$	3,929,000		$	(18,785,000	)
Preferred stock accretion	$	202,000		$	184,000	$	491,000		$	737,000
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders:
Before cumulative effect of a change in accounting Principle	$	1,503,000		$	764,000	$	3,438,000		$	2,821,000
After cumulative effect of a change in accounting Principle	$	1,503,000		$	764,000	$	3,438,000		$	(19,522,000	)
Earnings per common share before cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle
Basic	$	.34		$	.18	$	.78		$	.65
Diluted	$	.33		$	.18	$	.76		$	.63
Earnings (loss) per common share after cumulative Effect of a change in accounting principle
Basic	$	.34		$	.18	$	.78		$	(4.48	)
Diluted	$	.33		$	.18	$	.76		$	(4.48	)
Weighted average common shares outstanding
Basic	4,427,000			4,246,000		4,398,000			4,359,000
Diluted	4,545,000			4,308,000		4,512,000			4,449,000

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