Master Lock Sales of Travel Sentry Approved Locks Continue to Climb

PORTSMOUTH, N.H., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Master Lock, the world's largest padlock manufacturer, has seen sales of its Travel Sentry-approved locks jump 50 percent annually since it first introduced the product line in 2004. Increased security threats and recent, well-publicized reports of baggage pilferage at airports have fueled growing demand for locks that let air travelers secure their checked bags while enabling Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials to inspect them.

"Security is top of mind for most air travelers," said John Heppner, president and CEO of Fortune Brands Storage and Security, including Master Lock Company L.L.C. "Partnering with Travel Sentry and the TSA has produced a very strong product line that helps consumers feel at ease about their personal belongings when they travel. We expect sales to continue to do well as air travelers get smarter about how they can secure their checked bags."

Increased sales of Master Lock products carrying the Travel Sentry logo stem from the manufacturer's global distribution network, which includes the hardware departments at retailers like Target, Home Depot, Lowe's Home Improvement, Ace Hardware, Walgreens, CVS, K-Mart and Rite-Aid. Travelers can also purchase the locks online at http://www.masterlocktsa.com.

Travel Sentry partnered with the TSA and luggage and lock manufacturers like Master Lock to create the lock standard that allows TSA officers to use special tools to access locks without damaging luggage. Travel Sentry has licensed 26 manufacturers and more than 135 global distributors. Nearly 30 million locks bearing the Travel Sentry logo have been produced and marketed since the company launched just over three years ago.

"Master Lock's global distribution network continues to play an important role in providing TSA-recognized, Travel Sentry-approved locks to air travelers around the world," said Joel Blumenthal, president of Travel Sentry. "It is through productive relationships with manufacturers like Master Lock that the industry will continue to educate air travelers about how they can have peace of mind regarding the security of their personal belongings."

About Master Lock

Master Lock is the world's largest manufacturer of padlocks and related security products providing innovative security solutions for home, automotive, campus, power sports, bike, and storage security needs for consumers and contractors alike. Master Lock Company L.L.C. is an operating unit of Fortune Brands, Inc., a leading consumer brands company with annual sales exceeding $8 billion. Headquartered in Deerfield, Ill., Fortune Brands, is included in the S&P 500 Index.

About Travel Sentry

Founded in 2003, Travel Sentry created a standard for locking systems for air travelers in cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), leading lock and luggage manufacturers and distributors. Travel Sentry(R) Approved locks enable passengers to lock their checked luggage while allowing TSA officers to inspect bags. More than 150 leading luggage manufacturers and retail distributors including Master Lock, Samsonite, Travelpro, Tumi and Brookstone market Travel Sentry(R) Approved padlocks and luggage incorporating those locks. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.travelsentry.org.

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    Contact:  Karen Pantinas
              Beaupre & Co. Public Relations, Inc.
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