CONTACT: Michael P. Hawks            (NYSE -- BMC)
         (612) 851-6030              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                                 BMC INDUSTRIES, INC.
                            ANNOUNCES INTENT TO ESTABLISH
                              A BRAZILIAN JOINT VENTURE
                                           
                                           
August 15, 1997 -- Minneapolis, MN -- BMC Industries, Inc. today announced that
its Vision-Ease Lens, Inc. subsidiary has signed a letter of intent to purchase
Macprado Produtos Oftalmicos Ltda, a Brazilian lens manufacturer and
distributor.  Vision-Ease and Corning, Inc. of Corning, New York will be 50/50
partners in the acquisition.  The transaction is expected to close in the fourth
quarter of this year.  

Macprado, is an established Brazilian lens manufacturer and distributor of glass
and plastic ophthalmic lenses with in excess of a 20% share of the Brazilian
opthalmic lens market. While Brazil is the largest ophthalmic lens market in
South America, Macprado also distributes lenses to all of the other countries in
the South American Mercosul Free Trade Zone.  Macprado's sales in 1996 were in
excess of $15 million.  

BMC believes that the South American ophthalmic lens market presents a
significant growth opportunity for Vision-Ease and Corning.  Vision-Ease will
manage the manufacturing operation using its demonstrated lens manufacturing
capabilities and will take a leading role over time in the entire operation. 
Corning will lend its broad business knowledge of Brazil and an international
brand name.  In addition, Vision-Ease views the joint venture as an opportunity
to introduce new products into the South American marketplace. 

BMC Industries, Inc. is one of the world's largest manufacturers of aperture
masks for color picture tubes used in televisions and computer monitors. 
Through Vision-Ease, the Company is also a leading producer of polycarbonate,
glass and plastic eyewear lenses.  The common stock of the Company is traded on
the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BMC".



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