Lakeland Industries, Inc. Announces New Management for Lakeland Brasil, S.A.

RONKONKOMA, N.Y., Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Lakeland Industries, Inc. (the "Company")  (NASDAQ: LAKE), a leading global manufacturer of industrial protective clothing for industry, municipalities, healthcare and first responders on the federal, state and local levels, today announced the hiring of new management for Lakeland Brasil, S.A.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120611/NY21959LOGO )

Lakeland Industries, Inc. is pleased to announce that on September 16, 2013, Mr. Eduardo Fernandes Tavarez assumed the role of President of Lakeland Brasil, S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Lakeland Industries, Inc. In his new capacity, Mr. Tavarez will be the senior executive responsible for all aspects of Lakeland Brasil. He will report to Lakeland Industries' Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the Vice President – International Sales.

Mr. Tavarez has prior experience in the Brazilian personal protective equipment (PPE) market and has successfully implemented and managed customer oriented, value added sales programs and has a proven track record of turning around sales organizations. 

"We welcome Mr. Tavarez and look forward to supporting him in his efforts to revitalize Lakeland Brasil," said Mr. Chis Ryan, Chief Executive Office and President of Lakeland Industries. "His knowledge of the Brazilian PPE market and relationships with end users, distributors and suppliers, will be a tremendous asset as Lakeland Brasil focuses on growing sales and introducing new, value-added propositions to our customers. The addition, Mr. Tavarez will complete the installation of an entirely new management team at Lakeland Brasil and is indicative of Lakeland Industries' continued commitment to the Brazilian market. The mission for Mr. Tavarez and his team is to revitalize customer relationships, grow sales, improve manufacturing processes, delivery, and customer service, and returning Lakeland Brasil to a position of market leadership."

Mr. Tavarez will work out of Lakeland's Sao Paulo, Brazil sales office, when not traveling in support of the management teams efforts to improve sales and customer relationships.

In June 2013, Lakeland obtained a $15 million Senior Credit Facility with AloStar Business Credit, a division of AloStar Bank of Commerce, and a $3.5 million subordinated term loan.

About Lakeland Industries, Inc.:
Lakeland Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: LAKE) manufactures and sells a comprehensive line of safety garments and accessories for the industrial protective clothing market.  The Company's products are sold by a direct sales force and through independent sales representatives to a network of over 1,200 safety and mill supply distributors. These distributors in turn supply end user industrial customers such as chemical/petrochemical, automobile, steel, glass, construction, smelting, janitorial, pharmaceutical and high technology electronics manufacturers, as well as hospitals and laboratories. In addition, Lakeland supplies federal, state, and local government agencies, fire and police departments, airport crash rescue units, the Department of Defense, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many other federal and state agencies.  For more information concerning Lakeland, please visit the Company online at www.lakeland.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:  Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions as described from time to time in Press Releases and Forms 8-K, registration statements, quarterly and annual reports and other reports and filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or made by management.  All statements, other than statements of historical facts, which address Lakeland's expectations of sources or uses for capital or which express the Company's expectation for the future with respect to financial performance or operating strategies can be identified as forward-looking statements.  As a result, there can be no assurance that Lakeland's future results will not be materially different from those described herein as "believed," "projected," "planned," "intended," "anticipated," "estimated" or "expected," or other words which reflect the current view of the Company with respect to future events.  We caution readers that these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof.  The Company hereby expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events conditions or circumstances on which such statement is based.

SOURCE Lakeland Industries, Inc.