EXHIBIT 99
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[Zoltek logo]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASDAQ NMS SYMBOL: "ZOLT"
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ZOLTEK ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER AND
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RETIREMENT OF A DIRECTOR
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ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI -- APRIL 18, 2007 -- Zoltek Companies Inc. today
announced that George E. Husman has been appointed Chief Technology Officer.
Zoltek also announced that John L. Kardos retired from Zoltek's Board of
Directors as of April 16, 2007, and George E. Husman, who was elected as a
director at the 2007 annual shareholders meeting, will assume the lead
technology role on the Board.
"We are pleased to have a leader of the caliber of George Husman to
establish a first class technical organization inside Zoltek. I see this as
one of the critical elements that is needed to support the continued rapid
growth of the company in the years ahead," said Zsolt Rumy, Zoltek Chairman
and CEO. "The greatly expanded organization that George will head will provide
technical services and support to our manufacturing activities and to
customers in fast-growing, existing and new markets for our low-cost,
high-performance carbon fibers."
Husman holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the University of
Cincinnati and a M.S. in materials engineering from the University of Dayton.
Over a period of almost four decades, he has pursued advanced materials
technology development in government, industry and academia. He spent 18 years
at the Materials Directorate at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in research
and management positions, including Director of the Nonmetallic Materials
Division.
Upon leaving the Air Force in 1986, he joined BASF Structural
Materials, Inc., in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Vice President for Business
Development. At BASF, he also served as VP & General Manager of Thermoplastic
Composites and Vice President for Research and Development. In 1993, Husman
joined Southern Research Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, as Vice President
of the Engineering Division, and prior to joining Zoltek, he was the Associate
Director for Research in the School of Engineering at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham.
Dr. Kardos, who is a retired Professor of Chemical Engineering and
former Chairman of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Washington
University in St. Louis, Missouri, had served on the Board of Directors of
Zoltek since its IPO in 1992.
Zsolt Rumy, Zoltek's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented
"We owe a lot to John, who has been a valued advisor and technological
resource for our company for many years. His contributions have helped
position us to capitalize on the strategic opportunities that lie ahead for
the commercialization of carbon fibers as a significant 21st century advanced
material."
[Zoltek logo]
Zoltek Announces Appointment Of New Chief Technology Officer And Retirement
Of A Director
Page 2
April 18, 2007
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ZSOLT RUMY, CEO OR KEVIN SCHOTT, CFO
3101 MCKELVEY ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63044
(314) 291-5110
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are based upon
the current expectations of the Company. Because these forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, there are a
number of factors that could cause the Company's plans, actions and actual
results to differ materially. Among these factors are the Company's ability
to: successfully resolve pending litigation; re-activate its formerly idle
manufacturing facilities on a timely and cost-effective basis, meet current
order levels for carbon fibers; successfully add new capacity for the
production of carbon fiber and precursor raw material; execute plans to exit
its specialty products business and reduce costs; achieve profitable
operations; raise new capital and increase its borrowing at acceptable costs;
manage changes in customers' forecasted requirements for the Company's
products; continue investing in application and market development;
manufacture low-cost carbon fibers and profitably market them; and penetrate
existing, identified and emerging markets. The timing and occurrence (or
non-occurrence) of transactions and events that determine the future effect of
these factors on the Company, as well as other factors, may be beyond the
control of the Company. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any
forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of
this press release.