ROANOKE, Va., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Optical Cable Corporation (Nasdaq: OCCF) today announced that it is has been named 2008 Exporter of the Year in Information Technology/Telecommunications by ThinkGlobal Inc. ThinkGlobal is the publisher of Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The Exporter of the Year award recognizes fifteen U.S. companies for their commitment to international sales. The companies honored were chosen based on a number of criteria, including the number of export deals completed in 2007, the percentage increase in export sales in 2007 compared to the prior year, exports as percentage of total sales, commitment to exporting, commitment to customer service, and innovation and originality in marketing products or services.

Management Comments

"Optical Cable is honored to be a recipient of the 2008 Exporter of the Year award. We thank our loyal customers and commend the Optical Cable sales team whose efforts made this achievement possible," said Mr. Neil Wilkin, President and CEO of Optical Cable Corporation.

"At the core of Optical Cable's growth and value creation strategy is selling products on a worldwide basis. Our international sales team has successfully executed on this strategy and increased our export business- selling to customers in 56 countries with sales outside of the U.S. representing approximately 28% of our total sales in fiscal 2007," stated Mr. Wilkin.

Mr. Michael Newman, Vice President of Sales, International, stated, "Optical Cable views export sales as a long-term commitment. Our international sales team is committed to establishing lasting partnerships with customers around the globe and Optical Cable provides the products and service that demonstrate our commitment."

Company Information

Optical Cable Corporation is a leading manufacturer of fiber optic cables primarily sold into the enterprise market, and the premier manufacturer of military ground tactical fiber optic cables for the U.S. military. Founded in 1983, Optical Cable Corporation pioneered the design and production of fiber optic cables for the most demanding military field applications, as well as fiber optic cables suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The Company's current broad product offering is built on the evolution of these fundamental technologies, and is designed to provide end-users with fiber optic cables that are easy and economical to install, provide a high degree of reliability and offer outstanding performance characteristics. Optical Cable Corporation sells its products worldwide for uses ranging from commercial and campus installations to customized products for specialty applications and harsh environments, including military applications. The Company manufactures its high quality fiber optic cables at its ISO 9001:2000 registered and MIL-STD- 790F certified facility located in Roanoke, Virginia.

Further information about Optical Cable Corporation is available on the World Wide Web at www.occfiber.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release by Optical Cable Corporation (the "Company") may contain certain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking information may include, among other information, (i) statements concerning the Company's outlook for the future, (ii) statements of belief, anticipation or expectation, (iii) future plans, strategies or anticipated events, and (iv) similar information and statements concerning matters that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events to differ materially from the Company's expectations. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the level of sales to key customers, including distributors; timing of certain projects and purchases by key customers; the economic conditions affecting network service providers; corporate and/or government spending on information technology; actions by competitors; fluctuations in the price of raw materials (including optical fiber); the Company's dependence on a single manufacturing facility; the Company's ability to protect its proprietary manufacturing technology; market conditions influencing prices or pricing; the Company's dependence on a limited number of suppliers; the loss of or any dispute with one or more key suppliers or customers; an adverse outcome in litigation, claims and other actions, and potential litigation, claims and other actions against the Company; an adverse outcome in regulatory reviews and audits and potential regulatory reviews and audits; adverse changes in state tax laws and/or positions taken by state taxing authorities affecting the Company; technological changes and introductions of new competing products; changes in end-user preferences of competing technologies, including copper cable and wireless, relative to fiber optic cable; economic conditions that affect the telecommunications sector, certain technology sectors or the economy as a whole; terrorist attacks or acts of war, and any current or potential future military conflicts; changes in the level of military spending by the United States government; ability to retain key personnel; inability to recruit needed personnel; poor labor relations; the impact of changes in accounting policies, including those by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; the Company's ability to successfully comply with, and the cost of compliance with, the provisions of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or any revisions to that act which apply to the Company; impact of future consolidation among competitors and/or among customers adversely affecting the Company's position with its customers and/or our market position; actions by customers adversely affecting the Company in reaction to the expansion of the Company's product offering in any manner, including, but not limited to, by offering products that compete with its customers, and/or by entering into alliances with, and/or making investments in or with, parties that compete with and/or have conflicts with customers of the Company; adverse reactions by customers, vendors or other service providers to unsolicited proposals regarding the acquisition of the Company by another company; the additional costs of considering and possibly defending the Company's position on such unsolicited proposals regarding the acquisition of us by another company; impact of weather or natural disasters in the areas of the world in which the Company operates and markets its products; economic downturns and/or changes in market demand, exchange rates, productivity, or market and economic conditions in the areas of the world in which the Company operates and markets its products and the Company's success in managing the risks involved in the foregoing. The Company cautions readers that the foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive and the Company incorporates by reference those factors included in current reports on Form 8-K.



    AT THE COMPANY:

    Neil Wilkin                         Michael R. Newman
    President & CEO                     Vice President of Sales, International
    (540) 265-0690                      (540) 265-0690
    investorrelations@occfiber.com      sales@occfiber.com

    AT JOELE FRANK, WILKINSON BRIMMER KATCHER:

    Andrew Siegel                       Jaime Wert
    (212) 355-4449 ext. 127             (212) 355-4449 ext. 173
    asiegel@joelefrank.com              jwert@joelefrank.com

SOURCE Optical Cable Corporation