DURA-TITE SYSTEMS™LLC IS ONE OF SIX FINALISTS STATE-WIDE FOR THE BEN FRANKLIN BIG IDEA BUSINESS PLAN CONTEST

May 2, 2006 | Press Releases

Erie, Pennsylvania, May 2, 2006---- Dura-Tite Systems™, LLC, a new company headquartered in Erie, submitted their entry for the Ben Franklin Technology Biz Plan Contest and was selected as a finalist for a chance to win the $35,000 prize. The Ben Franklin Technology Partners and their Venture Investment Forum created the Biz Plan Contest for entrepreneurs and start-up businesses across 34 participating Pennsylvania counties. The contest is designed to support manufacturing and technology-based companies with less than 50 employees. Participants could not have had substantive sales before October 10, 2005 in order to be eligible to apply and were invited to submit a cover letter, application overview, 3 page business plan and supporting materials to the Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum by their deadline April 10.

DuraTite has created a revolutionary polypropylene heating, cooling, ventilation system of duct connectors and takeoffs for the HVAC industry. DuraTite’s founder and CEO Jim Karnes is the first to patent this type of plastic ducting for HVAC delivery systems in the residential and light commercial construction industry. The current energy crisis has boosted the value of energy saving products, and the plastic take-offs are able to seal tightly and do not conduct like metal connectors. DuraTite’s CEO along with VP of Marketing Steve Rosen will present to the Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum panel of Judges comprised of business people, investors and economic developers on May 26 at the Penn State Conference Center Hotel in State College. “We are thrilled to be a finalist and have been working hard on our expanded business plan for the presentation finals later this month,” Rosen said. “The $35,000 prize would be a fantastic start to offset our tooling and start-up costs,” Karnes added.

DuraTite’s first product, a 7” self-sealing trunkline take-off and optional damper will be unveiled at the Affordable Comfort Trade Show in Austin, Texas in late May and will be available for distribution early this summer. For more information on DuraTite Systems you can contact us at 1-866-217-3872 or info@duratite.com.

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