Recall: Meco Corp.Recall of Red Chairs from Children's Furniture Sets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 19, 2004 Release # 04-202

Firm's Hotline: (800) 251-7558 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

CPSC, Meco Corp. Announce Recall of Red Chairs from Children's Furniture Sets

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Kid's Essentials Five-Piece Folding Furniture Set

Units: About 3,800

Manufacturer: Meco Corp., of Greeneville, Tenn.

Hazard: The red paint on the chair contains excessive lead levels, posing a lead poisoning hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled product is a red folding chair with a metal frame and vinyl padded seat back and base. The chair was sold as a part of a five-piece juvenile table furniture set with a green table, blue chair, yellow chair, green chair and red chair. Only the red chairs with model numbers 11-88-3E1 and 11-88S3E1 and date codes H3, B4, D4 or E4 printed underneath the seat bottom are included in the recall. "Meco" or "Samsonite" brand names are also printed on the seat label.

Sold at: Furniture and wholesale club stores nationwide from July 2003 through June 2004 for between $25 and $40.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using this red chair immediately and contact the firm for instructions on returning the red chair and receiving a free replacement chair.

Consumer Contact: Call Meco at (800) 251-7558 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit Meco's Web site at www.meco.net