News Release

Merrimac Announces Appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as Independent Auditor

WEST CALDWELL, N.J. June 17, 2004: Merrimac Industries, Inc. (AMEX: MRM), today announced that the Audit Committee of its Board of Directors has appointed Grant Thornton LLP as the Company's independent auditor for fiscal year 2004, replacing Ernst & Young LLP.

The Audit Committee and management decided that the Company would be better served by an independent accounting firm that focuses on meeting the needs of smaller public companies. The Company noted that during the Company's last two fiscal years, there were no disagreements between the Company and Ernst & Young on any matters of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, as more fully described in the Company's Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Mason N. Carter, Chairman and CEO commented, "We enjoyed our relationship with Ernst & Young, but have determined that utilizing auditors more suited to the needs of a company our size would be in the best interests of our shareholders."

About Merrimac

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Merrimac Industries, Inc. is a leader in the design and manufacture of Multi-Mix PICO™ RF Microwave components, assemblies and micro-multifunction modules (MMFM), serving the wireless telecommunications industry worldwide with enabling technologies for space, defense and commercial applications. Merrimac is focused on providing Total Integrated Packaging Solutions® with Multi-Mix® Microtechnology, a leading edge competency providing value to our customers through miniaturization and integration. The Multi-Mix® process for microwave, multilayer integrated MMFM circuitry is a patented method developed by Merrimac Industries based on fluoropolymer composite substrates. The fusion bonding of multilayer structures provides a homogeneous dielectric medium that can integrate both active and passive functional elements for superior electrical performance at microwave frequencies. The bonded layers may incorporate embedded semiconductor devices, MMICs, etched resistors, passive circuit elements and plated-through via holes to form a three-dimensional subsystem enclosure that requires no further packaging. Merrimac Industries facilities are registered under ISO 9000, an internationally developed set of quality criteria for manufacturing operations.

Merrimac Industries, Inc. and its subsidiary Filtran Microcircuits Inc., are located in West Caldwell, NJ, San Jose, Costa Rica, and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and have approximately 230 co-workers dedicated to the design and manufacture of signal processing components, gold plating of high-frequency microstrip, bonded stripline and thick metal-backed Teflon (PTFE) micro-circuitry and subsystems providing Total Integrated Packaging Solutions® for wireless applications. Merrimac (MRM) is listed on the American Stock Exchange. Multi-Mix®, Multi-Mix PICO™, MMFM® and Total Integrated Packaging Solutions® are trademarks of Merrimac Industries, Inc. For more information about Merrimac Industries, Inc. and Filtran Microcircuits Inc., please visit http://www.merrimacind.com and http://www.filtranmicro.com.

This press release contains statements relating to future results of the Company (including certain projections and business trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks associated with demand for and market acceptance of existing and newly developed products as to which the Company has made significant investments, particularly its Multi-Mix® products; general economic and industry conditions; slower than anticipated penetration into the satellite communications, defense and wireless markets; the risk that the benefits expected from the acquisition of Filtran Microcircuits Inc. are not realized; the ability to protect proprietary information and technology; competitive products and pricing pressures; risks relating to governmental regulatory actions in communications and defense programs; and inventory risks due to technological innovation and product obsolescence, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Mason N. Carter, Chairman & CEO
973.575.1300, ext. 1202
E-mail: mnc@merrimacind.com