Exhibit 2




CONTACT:

Edward F. Paquette
Vice President/CFO
   
                                                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
George F. Sweeney
George F. Sweeney & Co./NY
212/213-3388


                STANDEX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
               ADOPTS NEW STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
                                
                                
SALEM,   NH,  December  10,  1998  ---  Standex  International
Corporation  (NYSE:SXI)  announced today  that  its  Board  of
Directors  has adopted a new Stockholder Rights  Agreement  in
which  common stock purchase rights will be distributed on  or
about  January 25, 1999, as a dividend of one Right  for  each
share  of  the  Company's common stock, $1.50  par  value  per
share,  ("Common Stock") to stockholders of record as  of  the
close  of  business on January 25, 1999.  The Rights Agreement
replaces the 1989 Stockholder Rights Plan of the Company  that
expires on January 25, 1999.

     The new Rights Agreement is designed to deter coercive or
unfair  takeover  tactics  and to  prevent  an  acquirer  from
gaining  control of the Company without offering a fair  price
to  all  of  the Company's stockholders.  The new Rights  will
expire  on  December  10,  2008, unless  earlier  redeemed  or
exchanged.

      Edward J. Trainor, President and Chief Executive Officer
of  Standex,  said  the Rights Agreement  "will  not  restrict
consideration by the Board of any offer on terms favorable  to
all stockholders, but is intended to protect the interests  of
stockholders  in  the  event the Company  is  confronted  with
coercive  or  unfair  takeover  tactics.   These  tactics  can
unfairly  pressure  stockholders, squeeze them  out  of  their
investment  without giving them any real choice,  and  deprive
them  of  the full value of their shares."  Mr. Trainor  noted
that similar plans have been adopted by many public companies.

                                
      The Rights will be exercisable if another party acquires
beneficial  ownership of 15 percent or more of  the  Company's
Common Stock, or upon the commencement of a tender or exchange
offer  that,  if  consummated, would result in  another  party
acquiring  15  percent or more of the Company's  Common  Stock
(the  "Acquiring  Person"). Each Right  will  entitle  Standex
stockholders  to  purchase one share of Common  Stock  of  the
Company at an exercise price of $95.

      In the event of such an acquisition or similar event  as
described  in  the Rights Agreement, each Right, except  those
owned  by the Acquiring Person, will enable the holder of  the
Right  to  purchase  that number of shares of  Standex  Common
Stock which equals the exercise price of the Right divided  by
one-half of the market price of such Common Stock.

      In addition, if Standex is involved in a merger or other
transaction  with  another company in  which  it  is  not  the
surviving  corporation or it sells or transfers 50 percent  or
more  of its assets or earning power to another company,  each
Right  will  entitle  its holder to purchase  that  number  of
shares  of Common Stock of the acquiring company which  equals
the  exercise  price of the Right divided by one-half  of  the
market price of such Common Stock.

      The  Company  will be entitled to redeem the  Rights  at
$0.001  per  Right  at any time until the tenth  business  day
following public announcement that a 15 percent stock position
has  been acquired or the commencement of a tender or exchange
offer  that,  if  consummated, would result in  another  party
acquiring 15 percent or more of the Company's Common Stock and
in certain other circumstances.

      Standex  International Corporation, with sales  for  the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1998 of $616 million and operations
in  the  United  States,  Western Europe,  Canada,  Australia,
Singapore  and  Mexico,  is a multi-industry  manufacturer  in
three  broad  business segments: Food Service, Industrial  and
Consumer.

                              # # #