Corporate | 9 March 2006 14:10

ARQUES Industries AG takes over Swiss custom chemicals specialist, Rohner AG

Corporate-news transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— ARQUES Industries AG takes over Swiss custom chemicals specialist, Rohner AG Seller Dynamit Nobel GmbH Explosivstoff- und Systemtechnik focuses on core business, ARQUES revenues increase 10% in 2006 Starnberg, March 9, 2006 – The Starnberg-based equity investment company, ARQUES Industries AG (ISIN DE0005156004), today acquired all shares of the custom chemicals manufacturer Rohner AG with its headquarters in Pratteln/Basel in Switzerland. The seller, Dynamit Nobel GmbH Explosivstoff- und Systemtechnik, Leverkusen, is part of the French Groupe Novasep SAS, which is focused on serving the life sciences and specialty chemicals industries. Rohner AG is historically specialised in graphical chemicals and dye stuff. Today it has positioned itself as a specialist in custom synthesis with a focus on ingredients for pharmaceuticals and life science products. Last years turn-over exceeded € 30 millions. Rohner recently invested in production capacities for the life science industry as a business were it thinks future growth will come from. Rohner is equipped with modern production facilities, owns it’s own real estate of 35,000 sqm and is able to produce to US-FDA standards. Rohner is free from bank debt. ARQUES Industries AG intends to pursue the restructuring of the Pratteln site and will develop the Life Science and Fine Chemical business. After the SKW metallurgies group in 2004 this is ARQUES´ second investment in a specialty chemical business; ARQUES is currently looking for a further acquisition in this sector. ARQUES board member Martin Vorderwülbecke said: ‘This is ARQUES´ second deal in the first quarter of 2006 and we are confident to announce a third transaction this month. Looking at our excellent deal pipeline we feel that ARQUES´ reputation as largest renowned listed specialist in Europe for professional turnarounds is paying off even more. The February Heiland acquisition and now Rohner will combined add 10% to ARQUES´ annualised sales.’ About ARQUES ARQUES Industries AG, Starnberg, is a turnaround specialist who focuses on the acquisition and the active restructuring of companies in transitional situations, in order to develop these, with its own team and own resources, to competitive enterprises with a positive yield. ARQUES revitalises its subsidiaries’ potential for creating value for the benefit of all its stakeholders, taking on the relevant social responsibility. ARQUES has made a duty of identifying underestimated companies with reduced survivability but with high appreciation potential, at the same time mastering complex company structures and transitional situations. The shares of ARQUES Industries AG are traded in the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘AQU’ (ISIN: DE0005156004) and are listed in the SDAX since September 19, 2005. Contact: ARQUES Industries AG Investor Relations & Corporate Communication Anke Lüdemann, CEFA/CIIA Tel.: +49 (0) 8151/ 651 0 Email: luedemann@arques.de (c)DGAP 09.03.2006 ————————————————————————— language: English emitter: ARQUES Industries AG Münchner Str. 15a 82319 Starnberg Deutschland phone: +49 (0)8151 651-0 fax: +49 (0)8151 651- 500 email: info@arques.de WWW: www.arques.de ISIN: DE0005156004 WKN: 515600 indexes: SDAX stockmarkets: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service ——————————————————————-