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                                  [LETTERHEAD]

                                  EXHIBIT 21.1


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                CONTACT: JAMES C. KING
BHA-9602                                                      SR. VICE PRESIDENT
DECEMBER 14, 1995                                             (816) 356-8400
8:00 A.M. CST                                                 EXT. 279


                                 BHA GROUP, INC.
                         ADOPTS STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN


                  BHA Group, Inc.  (NASDAQ-BHAG) announced today  that its Board
of Directors  adopted a Stockholder  Rights Plan in which  Common Stock purchase
rights will be distributed as a dividend at the rate of one right for each share
of common  stock held as of the close of  business  on  December  26, 1995.

                  The Rights are designed to guard against partial tender offers
and other  abusive  tactics  that might be used in an attempt to gain control of
the Company without paying all  stockholders a fair price for their shares.  The
Rights  Plan will not  prevent  takeovers,  but is  designed  to deter  coercive
takeover  tactics and to encourage  anyone  attempting to acquire the Company to
first negotiate with the Board.

                  Each Right  will  entitle  stockholders  to buy one tenth of a
share  of  Common  Stock  of the  Company at an  exercise  price of  $7.00.  The
Rights  will be  exercisable  only if a  person  or  group  acquires  beneficial
ownership of 20% or more of the Company's  outstanding Common Stock or commences
a tender or exchange  offer upon  consummation  of which a person or group would
beneficially own 20% or more of the Company's outstanding Common Stock.

                  If any person becomes the  beneficial  owner of 20% or more of
the Company's  outstanding  Common  Stock,  or if a holder of 20% or more of the
Company's Common Stock engaged in certain self-dealing  transactions or a merger
transaction  in which the Company is the  surviving  corporation  and its Common
Stock remains  outstanding,  then each Right not owned by such person or certain
related  parties will  entitle its holder to purchase  for an adjusted  purchase
price equal to ten times the right's then-current  exercise price, shares of the
units of the  Company's  common stock (or, in certain  circumstances,  preferred
stock, cash,  property or other securities of the Company) having a market value
equal to twice such adjusted purchase price. In addition,  if BHA Group, Inc. is
involved in a merger or other  business  combination  transactions  with another
person after which its Common Stock does not remain outstanding, or sells 50% or
more of its assets or earning power to another  person,  each right will entitle
its holder to purchase for the adjusted  purchase price,  shares of common stock
of such other person having a market value equal to twice the adjusted  purchase
price.

                  BHA Group,  Inc.  will  generally  be  entitled  to redeem the
Rights  at $.01 per  right at any time  until the 10th  business  day  following
public  announcement  that a person  or group  has  acquired  20% or more of the
Company's Common Stock.

                  BHA Group, Inc. manufactures and markets replacement parts and
provides  maintenance  and  rebuilding  services for  industrial  air  pollution
control equipment on a worldwide basis.

                                      ###

8800 East  63rd Street Kansas City, MO 64133 +(816) 356-8400 FAX +(816) 353-1873
Sales +800-821 2222
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