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Exhibit 99.1
                     HOME PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL FINALIZES
                       ACQUISITION OF SEYMOUR HOUSEWARES

              HPI TARGETS 1998 SALES OF $230 MILLION; SEES SEYMOUR
                  AS "SLIGHTLY ACCRETIVE TO EARNINGS IN 1998"


CHICAGO, JANUARY 6, 1998HOME PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NASDAQ: HPI), a
diversified housewares products company, today reported it has completed the
acquisition of Seymour Housewares Corporation for $100.6 million from Chase
Capital Partners, a private investment firm.  The transaction was financed with
a combination of $15.9 million in cash, $14.7 million in HPI stock and the
assumption of $70 million of debt.  Seymour Housewares, headquartered in
Seymour, Ind., is the leading supplier of laundry management products in the
United States, with a dominant market share in both ironing table and ironing
pad categories.

Sales for Seymour Housewares totaled $93 million in fiscal 1997.  Management
anticipates that the addition of Seymour to the existing HPI portfolio of
companies will result in combined revenues of $230 million in 1998.  The
addition of Seymour is expected to be slightly accretive to earnings per share
in 1998.

In announcing the completion of the Seymour acquisition, James Tennant,
chairman and chief executive officer of HPI, said, "We are pleased to start
1998 with Seymour Housewares among our portfolio of companies.  With projected
revenues approaching a quarter billion dollars, Home Products International is
now among the top tier of suppliers in the highly fragmented housewares
industry.  As a 'power vendor' supplying key housewares categories, HPI is
positioned to further expand our business with major U.S. retailers.  In
addition, we will continue to aggressively market our products globally through
HPI's established international sales network, and are delighted that this
product offering now includes quality Seymour products."

In addition to Seymour, HPI companies include Tamor Corporation (a leading
supplier of storage containers and closet organization products) and Selfix,
Inc. (a leading supplier of bath/shower organization products and juvenile
storage organizers.)  All three companies operate in a mass market, frequently
supply full programs to the same departments of top national and regional
chains.  Home Products International also owns Shutters, Inc., a manufacturer
and marketer of decorative exterior plastic shutters.  Home Products
International is listed on the Nasdaq National Market System under the ticker
symbol HPII.


The statements in this release regarding the anticipated effect of the Seymour
acquisition on Home Products International's sales are "forward looking
statements" and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated for
a number of reasons.  In addition, HPI's future financial performance will
depend on a number of factors beyond its control including increased
competition, changes in demand for its products and fluctuations in the market.
Risk factors and cautionary statements that could cause actual results to
differ are contained in the Company's SEC filings.