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THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.

                                                                         N E W S
                                                                         release


EXECUTIVE OFFICE
4360 Brownsboro Road, Suite 300
Louisville, Kentucky  40207-1603
502/893-4600 o Fax: 502/895-6618



     Louisville, Kentucky, October 7, 2004 - Timothy C. Brown, Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Industries Inc. (NYSE: TII), has
announced the signing of a letter of intent to buy the side channel blower
business of Ruey Chaang Electric Co. Ltd. of Taipei, Taiwan. It is anticipated
that the transaction will close by the end of this year. No other details were
given regarding the terms of the purchase.

     Ruey Chaang is a manufacturer of high quality, low cost side channel
blowers, with 2003 sales in excess of $7,000,000. The Company has 34 employees.

     "The product offering of Ruey Chaang adds to our line of our side channel
blowers produced out of Schopfheim, Germany," commented Brown. "We see
opportunities for growth and global distribution of an expanded side channel
line," he added.

     Mr. Ming-Yung Lee, General Manager of Ruey Chaang, will assist Thomas
Industries for the interim to assure a smooth transition. Ruey Chaang will be
merged into the operations of Rietschle Thomas Taiwan.

         Thomas Industries Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, designs,
manufactures and markets Rietschle Thomas brand pumps and compressors for use in
global OEM applications, supported by worldwide sales and service for key
customer applications and end-user markets. High quality automotive component
castings are also a key offering. Other products include Welch laboratory
equipment and Oberdorfer bronze and high alloy liquid pumps. Thomas has
wholly-owned operations in 21 countries, spanning five continents.

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         The statements in this press release with respect to future results and
future expectations may be regarded as forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and actual
results may differ materially from those currently expected. They are subject to
various risks, such as the ability of Thomas Industries to meet business sales
goals, effectiveness of operating initiatives, currency exchange and interest
rates, adverse outcome of pending or potential litigation, fluctuations in
commodity prices, the timing and the magnitude of capital expenditures, a
slowing of the overall economy including interruptions to commerce resulting
from wars or terrorist attacks, as well as other risks discussed in Thomas'
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report
and 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003. Thomas Industries makes no
commitment to disclose any revisions to forward-looking statements, or any
facts, events, or circumstances after the date hereof that may bear upon
forward-looking statements.