EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

December 23, 2004

Torrance, California

Summa Reports 1^st Quarter Earnings

Summa Industries (Nasdaq NM:SUMX) reports net income of $610,000, or $.15 per share, on sales of $28,238,000 for the three months ended November 30, 2004, versus net income of $830,000, or $.15 per share, on sales of $25,926,000 for the three months ended November 30, 2003.

	Three months ended November 30
	2004			2003
Sales	$	28,238,000		$		25,926,000
Net income	$	610,000		$	830,000
Diluted earnings per share	$		.15	$	.15

A conference call to discuss the results will be held at 9:00 a.m., Pacific Time, Thursday, December 23, 2004.  The call-in number is (800) 967-7185.  The conference call will also be simulcast and archived by www.vcall.com.

Summa Industries manufactures proprietary engineered plastic products for a broad spectrum of industrial and commercial markets.  The Company has manufacturing facilities across North America.  Products, many of which are unique or patented, are shipped to customers worldwide. 

For further information, contact Jim Swartwout, (310) 792-7024; Fax (310) 792-7079; www.summaindustries.com; or ir@summaindustries.com.

Summa Industries

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

	November 30, 2003		August 31, 2004		November 30, 2004
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash	$	297,000	$	1,248,000	$	832,000
Accounts receivable	15,681,000		18,227,000		16,371,000
Inventories	13,198,000		14,749,000		15,118,000
Prepaid expenses and other	3,060,000		3,782,000		4,512,000
Total current assets	32,236,000		38,006,000		36,833,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	25,624,000		31,053,000		33,086,000
Goodwill and other assets, net	11,879,000		11,058,000		11,026,000
Total assets	$	69,739,000	$	80,117,000	$	80,945,000
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	6,149,000	$	9,088,000	$	6,543,000
Accrued liabilities	4,504,000		7,429,000		6,744,000
Current maturities of long-term debt	3,448,000		2,195,000		2,702,000
Total current liabilities	14,101,000		18,712,000		15,989,000
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	16,247,000		28,663,000		31,591,000
Other long-term liabilities	2,594,000		2,508,000		2,500,000
Manditorily redeemable preferred stock	6,287,000		—		—
Minority interest in subsidiary	—		205,000		205,000
Total stockholders’ equity	30,510,000		30,029,000		30,660,000
Total	$	69,739,000	$	80,117,000	$	80,945,000

Summa Industries

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS

	Three months ended November 30
	2003		2004
Net sales	$	25,926,000	$	28,238,000
Cost of sales	19,555,000		21,793,000
Gross profit	6,371,000		6,445,000
Selling, general, administrative and other expenses	4,820,000		5,118,000
Operating income	1,551,000		1,327,000
Interest expense	305,000		367,000
Income before income taxes	1,246,000		960,000
Provision for income taxes	416,000		350,000
Net income	$	830,000	$	610,000
Preferred stock accretion	$	184,000	$	—
Net income available to stockholders:	$	646,000	$	610,000
Earnings per common share
Basic	$	.15	$	.15
Diluted	$	.15	$	.15
Weighted average common shares outstanding
Basic	4,287,000		3,984,000
Diluted	4,355,000		4,064,000