Veri-Tek International Corp. Signs Agreement With Leading Russian Distributor

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill., May 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Veri-Tek International, Corp. AMEX: VCC, a leading provider of engineered lifting solutions including boom truck cranes, rough terrain forklifts and special mission oriented vehicles, today announced that its Manitex subsidiary has signed an agreement with Dostavka-Service Corp. Ltd. ("DSC"), a Russian distributor with retail sales and crane rental fleets headquartered in Moscow, to distribute its 50- and 30-ton Manitex boom trucks beginning in July 2008.

Scott Rolston, General Manager of Veri-Tek's Manitex subsidiary, commented, "We believe the Russian market opportunity for this class of machines exceeds that of the United States. Additionally, this market is growing at a double-digit rate while the North American market continues to lag. Upon Russian crane certification, which is expected in June, we expect initial deliveries of Manitex S-series 3002, 4002, 5002 (30 to 50 ton) as early as July 2008."

Andrew Rooke, President and Chief Operating Officer of Veri-Tek added, "We believe that Russia's growing economy will continue to spur demand for infrastructure development. The introduction of our high quality and competitively priced capital equipment offers excellent value to DSC's customers. This milestone agreement enables us to participate in the Russian economic boom and contribute to financial performance during this year and beyond. In addition to the infrastructure build now taking place in Russia, it is a region with substantial natural resources. Consequently, high commodity prices should continue to benefit mining, energy development and construction subsectors. This new agreement marks the second international distribution agreement we have signed this year as we pursue our objective of extending our geographic market and reducing our dependence on North America."

About Veri-Tek International, Corp.

Veri-Tek International, Corp. is a leading provider of engineered lifting solutions including boom truck cranes, rough terrain forklifts and special mission oriented vehicles. Our Manitex subsidiary manufactures and markets a comprehensive line of boom trucks and sign cranes. Our boom trucks and crane products are primarily used in industrial projects, energy exploration and infrastructure development, including roads, bridges, and commercial construction. The Manitex Liftking subsidiary, which includes the Noble forklift product line, manufactures and sells a complete line of rough terrain forklifts and special mission oriented vehicles, as well as other specialized carriers, heavy material handling transporters and steel mill equipment. Manitex Liftking's rough terrain forklifts are used in both commercial and military applications.

Forward-Looking Statement

Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature which express the beliefs and expectations of management including statements regarding the Company's expected results of operations or liquidity; statements concerning projections, predictions, expectations, estimates or forecasts as to our business, financial and operational results and future economic performance; and statements of management's goals and objectives and other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "continuing," "ongoing," "expect," "we believe," "we intend," "may," "will," "should," "could," and similar expressions. Such statements are based on current plans, estimates and expectations and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors and additional information are discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and statements in this release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Although we believe that these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we cannot guarantee future results. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Company Contact

     Veri-Tek International, Corp.            Hayden Communications
     David Langevin                           Peter Seltzberg or Brett Maas
     Chairman and Chief Executive Officer     Investor Relations
     (708) 237-2060                           (646) 415-8972
     djlangevin@manitex.com                   peter@haydenir.com