ELMIRA, N.Y., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hardinge Inc. (NASDAQ: HDNG) confirmed that it received an unsolicited proposal from Industrias Romi S.A. of Brazil to acquire all of its outstanding shares for $8.00 per share. Hardinge stated that it has engaged Jefferies & Company, Inc. as its financial adviser, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as its legal adviser, to assist it in evaluating and responding to the Romi proposal, which it notes is subject to due diligence and other terms and conditions. Hardinge said that its board of directors, in consultation with its financial and legal advisers, will evaluate the unsolicited proposal from Romi and make a determination in due course. The Board urges shareholders to take no action until that determination has been made. Hardinge is a global designer, manufacturer and distributor of machine tools, specializing in SUPER PRECISION(TM) and precision CNC Lathes, high performance Machining Centers, high-end cylindrical and jig Grinding Machines, and technologically advanced Workholding & Rotary Products. The Company's products are distributed to most of the industrialized markets around the world with approximately 69% of the 2008 sales outside of North America. Hardinge has a very diverse international customer base and serves a wide variety of end-user markets. This customer base includes metalworking manufacturers which make parts for a variety of industries, as well as a wide range of end users in the aerospace, agricultural, transportation, basic consumer goods, communications and electronics, construction, defense, energy, pharmaceutical and medical equipment, and recreation industries, among others. The Company has manufacturing operations in the United States, Switzerland, Taiwan, and China. Hardinge's common stock trades on NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol, "HDNG." For more information, please visit http://www.hardinge.com/. This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). Such statements are based on management's current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact or that are about future events may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. For example, words such as "may," "will," "should," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "strategy," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The company's actual results or outcomes and the timing of certain events may differ significantly from those discussed in any forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Contact: Edward Gaio Vice President and CFO (607) 378-4207 DATASOURCE: Hardinge Inc. CONTACT: Edward Gaio, Vice President and CFO, +1-607-378-4207 Web Site: http://www.hardinge.com/

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