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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-09-060050.txt : 20100312
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-09-060050.hdr.sgml : 20100312
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20091023100751
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-09-060050
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20091023

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			METHODE ELECTRONICS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000065270
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRONIC CONNECTORS [3678]
		IRS NUMBER:				362090085
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0430

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7401 W WILSON AVE
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60706
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7088676777

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7401 WEST WILSON AVE
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60706
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>

<html>

<head>





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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">October&nbsp;23,
2009</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Ms.&nbsp;Julie
Sherman, Accounting Reviewer</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">United
States Securities and Exchange Commission</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">100
F Street, N.E.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington,
D.C. 20549</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Re:</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Methode
Electronics,&nbsp;Inc.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Form&nbsp;10-K
for the Fiscal-Year ended May&nbsp;2, 2009</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Definitive
Proxy Statement filed August&nbsp;6, 2009</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">File
No.&nbsp;001-33731</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear Ms.&nbsp;Sherman:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">This letter sets forth the response of Methode
Electronics,&nbsp;Inc. (the &#147;Company&#148;) to the Commission&#146;s comment letter dated
September&nbsp;29, 2009.&#160; The Company has
reproduced each of the Staff&#146;s questions and indicated its response
thereafter.&#160; The Company has reviewed
this response with its current independent registered public accounting firm
and outside legal counsel.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company believes that the following responses
appropriately address the Staff&#146;s comments.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Form&nbsp;10-K for
the Fiscal Year ended May&nbsp;2, 2009</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.85pt;text-indent:-45.85pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Business,
Page&nbsp;1</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.85pt;text-indent:-45.85pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In this section, and throughout the Form&nbsp;10-K, you state that business is being &#147;moved&#148; or &#14
7;transferred&#148;
from the Reynosa facility &#147;to other suppliers.&#148; It may be unclear to investors
whether you mean that the Reynosa functions will be performed by a different
facility in your system or that the business has been lost to your competitors.
In your response, please clarify. Additionally, please confirm that you will revise
your future filings to use clear and unambiguous terms to describe developments
in your business.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In the
fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, we reached an agreement with Ford Motor Company
(&#147;Ford&#148;) to discontinue supplying the Ford products previously produced at the
Reynosa facility.&#160; That Ford business is
now serviced by other suppliers.&#160; The &#147;non-Ford&#148;
business from the Reynosa facility was transferred to other Methode
facilities.&#160; The Company confirms that in
future filings, we will use clear and unambiguous terms to describe
developments in our business.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.55pt;text-indent:-45.55pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.55pt;text-indent:-45.55pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates. page&nbsp;37</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.55pt;text-indent:-45.55pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.85pt;text-indent:-45.85pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Intangible
Assets, page&nbsp;38</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.85pt;text-indent:-45.85pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We see you indicate that &#147;based on events and general business declines,
[you] performed &#145;step one&#146; of the goodwill impairment test in accordance with
paragraph 19 of SFAS 142, on the reporting units that have goodwill during
fiscal 2009.&#148;&#160; Based on the completion of
&#145;step two&#146; of the goodwill impairment tests, you recorded a goodwill impairment
charge of $63.1 million. Regarding your impairment analysis of goodwill, and in
the interest of providing readers with a better insight into management&#146;s
judgments into accounting for goodwill and intangible assets, please tell us
and consider disclosing the following in future filings:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.55pt;text-indent:-45.55pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We have
addressed each of your bullet point comments below.&#160; We will consider addressing these matters in
our future filings, as appropriate.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Tell us the last date
you assessed each of your reporting unit&#146;s goodwill for impairment, we note you
only disclose you completed the test &#147;during fiscal 2009&#148;;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We most
recently tested for goodwill impairment for each of our reporting units as of May&nbsp;2,
2009 (the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009).</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Each of the valuation
methodologies used to value goodwill (if multiple approaches are used),
including sufficient information to enable a reader to understand how each of
the methods used differ, the assumed benefits of a valuation prepared under
each method, and why management selected these methods as being the most
meaningful for the company in preparing the goodwill impairment analyses.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company performed the goodwill impairment analysis by performing an
internal discounted cash flow analysis for each reporting unit in the
Company.&#160; The Company believes this best
represents the fair value of the reporting units.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">How you weight each of
the methods used including the basis for that weighting (if multiple approaches
are used).</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company only used one valuation methodology to value goodwill.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Tell us, when you are
evaluating your individual reporting units for impairment, how you validate the
reasonableness of the fair values determined. For example, tell us whether you
received quoted market prices in active markets to validate the results in a
discounted cash flow projection. In this regard, we note that FASB ASC
350-20-35 (paragraph 23 of SFAS 142) indicates that quoted market prices in
active markets are the best evidence and should be used if available.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">When required, we validated the reasonableness of the fair values for our
individual reporting units by taking the consolidated fair value of all
reporting units (determined using an internal discounted cash flow analysis)
and comparing it to our market capitalization.&#160;
In this analysis, we determined market capitalization based on the </font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">average closing prices of our
common stock over the fiscal month which ended with the testing date.&#160; We compared the consolidated fair value of
all reporting units to our market capitalization and determined the variance to
be within an acceptable range.&#160; The
internal discount rate and forecast assumptions used for our individual reporting
units, as well as our overall methodology, was validated through this
reconciliation to our external market capitalization.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">A qualitative and
quantitative description of the material assumptions used and a sensitivity
analysis of those assumptions based upon reasonably likely changes.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The
assumptions were based on the management-developed forecasted budgets and cash
flow analyses developed using the prevailing business conditions, which existed
at the testing date.&#160; The individual
reporting unit assumptions were developed in a cross-functional manner with
input from reporting units&#146; sales, accounting and operational management.&#160; In addition, senior operational and financial
management, including the CEO, participated in the review and vetting of the
reporting unit assumptions.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We performed a sensitivity
analysis of the consolidated cash flow model.&#160;
The internal discount rates were
validated against a weighted-average cost of capital study performed by a
third-party. We performed a discount rate sensitivity analysis on the reporting
units and concluded that changes upward or downward in the discount rate for
the units did not have a material impact on our conclusion that the Company&#146;s
total fair value was reasonable when compared to the total external market
capitalization.&#160; Also, the projections
used in the tests in the reporting units that had goodwill reflected the steep
decline in the major markets which we serve, most notably, automotive, durable goods
and construction. These markets deteriorated significantly during the testing
period and the timing of the recovery for these markets was anticipated to be
prolonged. Based on the market deterioration, these business units were
significantly impaired so that increases or decreases in the projections within
a reasonable range would not have had a significant effect on the impairment of
these reporting units.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">If applicable, how the assumptions</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;"> and
methodologies used for valuing goodwill in the current year have changed since
the prior year highlighting the impact of any changes.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In
fiscal 2009, as in prior fiscal years, the methodology used to value goodwill
was an internal discounted cash flow analysis.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The assumptions used for
valuing goodwill in fiscal 2009 changed significantly from the prior fiscal
year.&#160; In fiscal 2009, we experienced a
steep decline in our market capitalization.&#160;
In addition, the global recession and credit crisis experienced in fiscal
2009 resulted in a sharp and sudden overall business decline, particularly in
our third and fourth fiscal quarters.&#160;
The assumptions used in the goodwill impairment analysis were adjusted
to reflect this reduction in expected future revenue and operating margins.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In a related matter, please also tell us the last date you assessed your </font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">property, plant and equipment
and intangible assets (excluding goodwill) for impairment. Also provide us with
a summary of material relevant facts, assumptions, and estimates you considered
in this impairment analysis on an individual asset group basis.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We last tested property, plant
and equipment and intangible assets (excluding goodwill) for impairment as of May&nbsp;2,
2009.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">At the end of each quarter of
fiscal 2009, we performed an impairment analysis on long-lived assets.&#160;&#160; The asset groups were determined at the
lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are independent of the cash
flows of other assets and liabilities.&#160;
The assets, which were used to generate joint cash flows, were grouped
together.&#160;&#160; For those asset groups where
an indicator of impairment existed and which failed recoverability, we obtained
third-party appraisals on the land, buildings and improvements and finite-lived
intangibles.&#160;&#160; For machinery and
equipment, we determined the fair value based on internal estimates. The
estimates were based on the existing service potential at the date tested.&#160;&#160; The methodology to complete the impairment
reviews was consistent for all asset groups.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Relative to the indefinite
lived intangibles, since the best measure of a long-lived asset&#146;s fair value is
its quoted price in an active market, we obtained third-party appraisals to
determine the fair market value of these assets.&#160; The Company provided all assumptions and
underlying data utilized to develop the related valuations to the valuation
firm and the Company takes full responsibility for the valuation results and
the accounting entries.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Item
15. Financial Statements, page&nbsp;43</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements, page&nbsp;F-I</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Note 3.
Acquisitions, page&nbsp;F-13</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We see that you acquired Hetronic for $53.6 million and filed a Form&nbsp;8-K
announcing the successful completion of your acquisition on October&nbsp;1,
2008. It appears you may meet one or more of the significance tests under Rule&nbsp;1-02(w)&nbsp;to
provide historical financial statements for Hetronic. Please provide us with
your significance tests as set forth under Rule&nbsp;1-02(w)&nbsp;along with
the reason why you believe financial statements of Hetronic in your previously
filed Form&nbsp;8-K were not required. Refer to the guidance in Rule&nbsp;3-05
and Rule&nbsp;1-02(w)&nbsp;of Regulation S-X.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to Rule&nbsp;1-02 (w)&nbsp;and Rule&nbsp;3-05,
financial statements of an acquired company are required to be disclosed if the
&#147;investment test,&#148; the &#147;asset test&#148; or the &#147;income test&#148; are met using a 20%
threshold.&#160; Set forth below is a brief
summary of our analysis under each of these three significance tests.&#160; In each case, the results are significantly
below the 20% threshold and, therefore, we were not required to provide
historical financial statements for Hetronic.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Investment Test</font></u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">.&#160; Financial
statements of an acquired company are required if the investments in and
advances to the acquired company exceed 20 percent of the total assets of the
registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated as of the end of the most recently
completed fiscal year.&#160; Methode&#146;s total
assets as of May&nbsp;2, 2008 were $470.2 million.&#160; The investment in Hetronic was $56.1 million
(including $2.5 million of transaction costs), representing only 11.9% of our
total assets.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Asset Test</font></u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">.&#160; Financial
statements of an acquired company are required if the registrant&#146;s and its
other subsidiaries&#146; proportionate share of the total assets of the acquired
company exceeds 20 percent of the total assets of the registrant and its
subsidiaries consolidated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal
year.&#160; Methode&#146;s total consolidated
assets as of May&nbsp;2, 2008 were $470.2 million.&#160; The historical total assets purchased for
Hetronic were $29.6 million, representing only 6.3% of our total assets.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Income Test</font></u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">.&#160; Financial
statements of an acquired company are required if the registrant&#146;s and its
other subsidiaries&#146; equity in the income from continuing operations before
income taxes, extraordinary items and cumulative effect of a change in
accounting principle of the acquired company exceeds 20 percent of such income
of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for the most recently
completed fiscal year.&#160; Methode&#146;s income
from continuing operations before income taxes was $49.5 million for fiscal
2008.&#160; The income from conti<u>nuing
opera</u>tions before income taxes for Hetronic was $5.1 million, annualized
based on actual results from January&nbsp;1, 2008 thru September&nbsp;30, 2008,
representing only 10.3% of our income before taxes.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We note you disclose that the fair value of the
tangible and intangible assets and the allocation of values to those assets was
based on a third-party valuation report. Please describe to us the nature and
extent of the role played by the valuation firm in determining the amounts
included in your financial statements and clarify the extent to which any
statements are attributed to the valuation firm as opposed to your management.
In this regard, we also refer you to the guidance provided in Question 141.02
of the Compliance and Disc</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">losure Interpretations
on Securities Act Sections, which can be found at
http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfinlguidance/sasinterp.htm, which explains the
circumstances under which a valuation firm would be named and its consent
included in registration statements, including those into which you incorporate
your Form&nbsp;10-K by reference.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The
Company used a third-party valuation firm to assist management in determining
the fair value of these tangible and intangible assets and the allocation of
values to those assets.&#160; The Company
provided all assumptions and underlying data utilized to develop the related
valuations to the valuation firm and the Company takes full responsibility for
the valuation results and the accounting entries.&#160; The Company did not solely rely on the work
of the valuation firm for these accounting and reporting matters </font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">and does not believe that it
was required to obtain the consent of the thirty party pursuant to the guidance
provided in Question 141.02 of the Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations on
Securities Act Sections.&#160; In future
filings, the Company will clarify this distinction.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Index to Exhibits</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We are unable to locate the Amendment to Credit Agreement referenced in
footnote 6.&#160; Please tell us where the
Amendment is filed. Make revisions to your future filings, as appropriate.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The
reference to footnote 6 is incorrect.&#160;
The Amendment to the Credit Agreement referenced in Exhibit&nbsp;Number
10.6 is filed as an exhibit to our Quarterly Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the
quarter ended October&nbsp;31, 2005, filed on December&nbsp;8, 2005.&#160; We will correct this reference in our future
filings.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Definitive Proxy Statement filed August&nbsp;6, 2009</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Item 13.&#160; Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">7.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We note from your disclosure on page&nbsp;4 of your proxy statement that
your audit committee is responsible for the review of your related party
transactions; however, we note that you have not provided disclosure describing
your policies and procedures for the review, approval, or ratification of any
related person transaction. Please confirm that you will provide in future
filings the disclosure required by Item 404(b)(l)(i)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We
hereby confirm that in our future filings we will include the disclosure
required by Item 404(b)(1)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K regarding our policies and
procedures for the review, approval or ratification of transactions with
related persons.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Base
Salary, page&nbsp;19</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">8.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In future filings, please provide additional disclosure and analysis of how
individual performance and the other factors you cite on pages&nbsp;19 and 20
contributed to base salary compensation for each of your named executive
officers. We note in this regard your disclosure that base salary decisions for
your named executive officers are based upon &#147;&#133;levels of responsibility,
experience and breadth of knowledge, potential for advancement, recent
promotions, past performance, internal equity issues and external pay
practices.&#148; For example, please disclose what elements of individual
performance, both quantitative and qualitative, that the Compensation Committee
considered. Also disclose any specific contributions that the Committee used in
its evaluation, and if applicable, how they were weighted and factored into
specific compensation decisions. Please refer to Regulation S-K Item
402(b)(2)(vii).</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We
hereby confirm that in our proxy statement for our 2010 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders (the &#147;2010 Proxy Statement&#148;) and other relevant future filings we
will provide additional disclosure and analysis of how individual performance
(quantitative and qualitative), levels of responsibility, experience and
breadth of knowledge, potential for advancement, recent promotions, past
performance, internal equity issues and external pay practices and other
relevant factors or specific contributions contributed to base salary
compensation for each of our named executive officers.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Performance-Based
Bonuses, page&nbsp;20</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">9.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We note your disclosure on page&nbsp;17 that you use &#147;individual management
by objectives (&#145;MBOs&#146;) to determine payouts under [y]our annual bonus program&#148;
and that &#147;MBOs include qualitative factors which emphasize sales and profit
performance ....&#148;&#160; We also note your
disclosure on page&nbsp;20 that &#147;performance measures for each of the named
executive officers include pre-tax earnings as compared to budget.&#148; However, we
note that you have not disclosed the specific performance goals must be
achieved in order for your named executive officers to earn their respective
annual performance-based cash bonus awards. Please provide such disclosure in
your future filings, as applicable. Please also note that we would expect to
see similar disclosure of the performance goals required for any interim cash
bonus program, such as the one you describe at the bottom of page&nbsp;20. To
the extent that you believe disclosure of such information, on a historical
basis, would result in competitive harm such that the information could be
excluded under Instruction 4 to Regulation S-K Item 402(b), please provide us
with a detailed explanation supporting your conclusion.&#160; If it is
appropriate to omit specific targets or performance objectives, you are
required to provide appropriate disclosure pursuant to Instruction 4 to Item
402(b). Refer also to Question 118.04 of the Regulation S-K Compliance and
Disclosure Interpretations, available on our website at http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfiniguidance/regs-kinterp.htm.&#160; In discussing how difficult or likely it will
be to achieve the target levels or other factors, you should provide as much
detail as necessary without disclosing information that poses a reasonable risk
of competitive harm.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Fiscal 2010 Performance-Based
Compensation and 2010 Proxy Statement Disclosure</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">For the fiscal year ending May&nbsp;2,
2010, for which compensation information will be reported in our 2010 Proxy
Statement, the only element of our executive compensation package that includes
a performance requirement is our annual performance-based cash bonus awards
(the &#147;Annual Bonus&#148;).&#160; In prior years,
our stock awards have also included a performance requirement.&#160; For fiscal 2010, however, the Compensation
Committee awarded non-qualified stock options.&#160;
Set forth below is a discussion of the terms of the Annual Bonuses, our
plans for disclosing substantially all of the quantitative and qualitative
performance targets for the Annual Bonuses and our reasons for excluding the </font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">7</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">performance targets related to
pre-tax margins.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Fiscal 2010 Annual Bonuses</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">For all of our executive
officers, payouts under the Annual Bonus are based exclusively on the achievement
of individual management by objectives (&#147;MBOs&#148;).&#160; The individual MBOs are weighted between
twenty to fifty percent of the overall Annual Bonus amount. The MBOs consist of
the following performance targets: (i)&nbsp;the Company achieving a minimum
cash flow position; (ii)&nbsp;the Company attaining a minimum amount of new
business with a minimum pre-tax margin; (iii)&nbsp;reducing gross inventory at
two business units by a specific amount; (iv)&nbsp;a non-reporting business
unit or a product line attaining a minimum amount of new business with a
minimum pre-tax margin; (v)&nbsp;gaining board approval to complete at least
one acquisition; and (vi)&nbsp;improving the finance department&#146;s
functions.&#160; Many of these targets apply
to multiple executive officers.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">2010 Proxy Statement Disclosure</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In the Compensation Discussion
and Analysis section of our 2010 Proxy Statement, we will disclose the
following information regarding our Annual Bonuses for each of our executive
officers; (i)&nbsp;the maximum amount payable under the Annual Bonus; (ii)&nbsp;details
regarding each applicable MBO (other than the performance target related to
pre-tax margins); (iii)&nbsp;the weight assigned to the respective MBOs; (iv)&nbsp;with
respect to the pre-tax margins, we will disclose how likely it will be to
achieve the undisclosed margins; and (v)&nbsp;the amounts paid under the Annual
Bonus.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Omission of the Performance
Targets Related to Pre-Tax Margins</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As discussed above, the
performance targets for our Annual Bonuses include MBOs related to (i)&nbsp;the
Company attaining a minimum amount of new business with a minimum pre-tax
margin and (ii)&nbsp;a non-reporting business unit or a product line attaining
a minimum amount of new business with a minimum pre-tax margin.&#160; The performance target under (i)&nbsp;is
applicable only to our chief executive officer. The performance targets under (ii)&nbsp;apply
to three executive officers and relate to one business unit and four product
lines.&#160;&#160;&#160; In reliance on Instruction 4 to
Item 402(b)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K, we will exclude the performance targets
related to pre-tax margins from our 2010 Proxy Statement for the reasons set
forth below.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Legal Standard</font></i></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Instruction 4 to Item 402 of
Regulation S-K provides that a company is &#147;not required to disclose target
levels with respect to specific quantitative or qualitative performance-related
factors considered by the compensation committee or the board of directors, or
any other factors or criteria involving confidential trade secrets or
confidential commercial or financial information, the disclosure of which would
result in competitive harm for the registrant.&#148;&#160;
Pursuant to Instruction 4, the standard to use to determine whether
disclosure of such information would cause competitive harm is the same
standard that would apply if the company requested confidential treatment of
such information pursuant to Securities Act Rule&nbsp;405 or Securities
Exchange Act Rule&nbsp;24b-2, each of which incorporates the criteria under
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information </font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">8</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Act (&#147;FOIA&#148;).</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Confidential Commercial or
Financial Information</font></i></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We believe that if we are
required to disclose the pre-tax margin targets in our 2010 Proxy Statement,
the discussion in such proxy statement of whether the target was achieved would
also reveal the actual margins achieved for the relevant product lines or
business unit.&#160; We will not disclose the
pre-tax margins for the Company&#146;s new business or for the relevant business
unit or product lines in our earnings releases, Form&nbsp;10-Qs or Form&nbsp;10-K,
and we treat it as highly confidential.&#160;
Based on the FOIA standards and the relevant case law, we believe that
these pre-tax margins clearly constitute confidential commercial or financial
information.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Competitive Harm</font></i></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The key analysis is whether the
disclosure of these pre-tax margins would result in competitive harm to the
Company.&#160; We believe that we would suffer
competitive harm from both our competitors and our customers if this
confidential commercial or financial information is disclosed.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Competitive
Harm from Competitors</font></u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">.&#160; We believe the disclosure of these pre-tax gross
margins would cause us to suffer competitive pricing harm because our
competitors would have greater insight into our pricing and cost structure and
could use this information to adjust their pricing and more effectively compete
with us.&#160; In addition, the disclosure of
our pre-tax margins over an extended period of time could enable a competitor
to identify trends with respect to that particular product or business
unit.&#160; As a product becomes more
profitable, more competitors could start to compete with us.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Also, we believe that
disclosure of the pre-tax gross margins of a product line or business unit
could also reveal confidential information regarding the cost structure related
to the relevant products.&#160; Knowledge of
this cost structure could enable competitors to estimate the &#147;floor&#148; below
which we could not price a product without suffering a loss.&#160; If a competitor gains this information, it
would be able to undercut our prices in that market, and possibly force us to
exit the market.&#160; This would result in
substantial competitive harm.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In <i>Timken
Company v. United States Customs Service</i>, 491 F. Supp. 557 (D.D.C.
1980), Timken brought an FOIA action seeking disclosure of certain documents
from the US Customs Service relating to the appraised value of certain products
imported from Japan.&#160; Customs claimed
that the disclosure of the price and quantity data sought would cause
competitive injury to both the importer and the exporter because &#147;it would
allow their competitors and customers to estimate the company&#146;s profit margin
and production costs, thereby giving competitors insight into the company&#146;s
competitive strengths and weaknesses.&#148;&#160;
Id. at 559.&#160; The US District
Court, District of Columbia, stated that &#147;even if the price data would be
insufficient, standing by itself, to allow computation of the cost of
production, this cost would be ascertainable when coupled with the other
information&#133;&#148; Id.&#160; The Court concluded
that the sensitive information was of a nature that &#147;if disclosed, would likely
result in substantial competitive injury.&#148; Id. at 560.&#160; We believe that the Timken case supports our
argument that disclosure of these pre-tax </font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">9</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">margins would result in
substantial competitive harm.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Competitive
Harm from Customers</font></u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">.&#160; The disclosure of these pre-tax gross margins
would also cause us to suffer competitive pricing harm because our customers
would have useful information regarding our margins to negotiate lower prices
for specific products.&#160; This raises a
substantial concern since any of our products are subject to multi-year
production runs with annual price negotiations.&#160;&#160; For example, a customer could identify what
it perceives as an especially profitable product and demand price concessions
arguing that we can afford to realize less profits.&#160; This is a particular concern with respect to
our automotive customers in this recession when these customers are
aggressively seeking to lower their costs.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Stock
Awards, page&nbsp;21</font></u></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">10.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><u><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Comment</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Although we note your disclosure of a 50</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">th</font><font size="2" style
="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;&#150; 75</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">th</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;percentile target to competitive market data
for stock option grants, we note minimal discussion and analysis of how you
determined specific stock option awards for each named executive officer.&#160; In future filings, we would expect to see a
more focused discussion that provides substantive analysis and insight into how
the Compensation Committee made actual payout determinations for the fiscal
year for which compensation is being reported. Please refer to paragraphs
(b)(l)(iii)&nbsp;and (v)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K Item 402. Please understand
that discussion of the various items of corporate and individual performance
that were considered by you must be accompanied by a complete qualitative and
quantitative discussion of how you determined to award each specific form and
level of compensation. You should provide complete discussions of the specific
factors considered by the Committee in ultimately approving this and other
forms of compensation, including the reasons why the Committee believes that
the amounts paid to each named executive officer are appropriate in light of
the various items it considered in making specific compensation decisions and
the reasons for differences in the relative size of the grants among the
officers.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We
hereby confirm that in our 2010 Proxy Statement and other relevant future
filings we will include a more focused discussion that provides substantive
analysis and insight into how the Compensation Committee made actual payout
determinations.&#160; In accordance with
paragraphs (b)(l)(iii)&nbsp;and (v)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K Item 402, the 2010
Proxy Statement will discuss the various items of corporate and individual
performance, both quantitative and qualitative, that the Compensation Committee
considered in determining each specific form and level of compensation,
including, without limitation, equity awards.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">*&#160; *&#160; *&#160; *</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The
undersigned, on behalf of the Company, acknowledges that:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">the Company is responsible for the adequacy
and accuracy of the disclosure in the filings;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">10</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
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<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">staff comments or changes to disclosure in
response to staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action
with respect to the filings; and</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">the Company may not assert staff comments as
a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the
federal securities laws of the United States.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Thank
you for your consideration in these matters.&#160;
If you have any further questions regarding these matters, please do not
hesitate to contact me.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Very
  truly yours,</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/
  Douglas A. Koman</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Douglas
  A. Koman</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief
  Financial Officer</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">11</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
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