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THOMAS
INDUSTRIES INC.

        EXECUTIVE OFFICE
        4360 Brownsboro Road, Suite 300
        Louisville, Kentucky 40207-1642
        502/893-4600 . Fax: 502/895-6618




THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC. AND GARDNER DENVER, INC. ENTER INTO MERGER AGREEMENT

         Louisville, Ky., March 9, 2005 - Thomas Industries Inc. (NYSE: TII)
announced today that it has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger
("Merger Agreement") with Gardner Denver, Inc. (NYSE: GDI). Under the terms of
the Merger Agreement, Gardner Denver will pay $40.00 per share in cash for all
of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Thomas Industries.
Gardner Denver has received a debt commitment from Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and
JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA to fully finance the acquisition of Thomas. The Boards
of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved the agreement. The
transaction is conditioned on obtaining requisite approval from the shareholders
of Thomas Industries, necessary regulatory approvals and other customary closing
conditions. Upon closing of the transaction, Thomas will become a subsidiary of
Gardner Denver and will no longer be a publicly traded company. The parties
expect to close the transaction during 2005.

         "In the fall of 2004, the Board of Directors embarked on a review of
strategic alternatives in order to enhance shareholder value. This transaction
represents the culmination of those efforts," said Tim Brown, Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Industries. He added, "Thomas
Industries employees, operating units, customers and other affiliates will be
well positioned for continued success and growth with Gardner Denver."

         The Company's financial advisor is Robert W. Baird & Co., and its legal
advisor is McDermott Will & Emery LLP.

         Gardner Denver, with 2004 revenues of $740 million, is a leading
worldwide manufacturer of reciprocating, rotary and vane compressors, liquid
ring pumps and blowers for various industrial and transportation applications,
pumps used in the petroleum and industrial markets, and other fluid transfer
equipment serving chemical, petroleum, and food industries and is headquartered
in Quincy, Illinois.






         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 world-wide 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.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE TRANSACTION

         The proposed transaction will be submitted to Thomas' shareholders for
their consideration, and Thomas will file with the SEC a proxy statement to be
used by Thomas to solicit its shareholders' approval of the proposed
transaction, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed
transaction. Shareholders of Thomas are urged to read the proxy statement
regarding the proposed transaction and any other relevant documents filed with
the SEC when they become available, as well as any amendments or supplements to
those documents, because they will contain important information. The definitive
proxy statement will be sent to the shareholders of Thomas seeking their
approval of the proposed transaction. You will be able to obtain a free copy of
the proxy statement, as well as other filings containing information about
Thomas, at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov).

         Copies of the proxy statement and the SEC filings that will be
incorporated by reference in the proxy statement can also be obtained when
available, without charge, by directing a request to: Phillip J. Stuecker,
Thomas Industries Inc., 4360 Brownsboro Road, Suite 300, Louisville, Kentucky
40207 (502-893-4600).

         Thomas and its respective directors and executive officers may be
deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders
of Thomas in connection with the sale. Information regarding those participants
will be included in Part III of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, filed on or prior to March 16, 2005. Copies
of this filing are available at the SEC's website. Additional information
regarding the interests of those participants may be obtained by reading the
proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available.


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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 of 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.

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