Corporate | 26 October 2006 07:30

ARQUES Industries AG: SKW Metallurgie plans IPO for the fourth quarter of 2006

Corporate news transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— SKW Metallurgie plans IPO for the fourth quarter of 2006 – IPO serves the development of the position as a profitable world market leader – Positive business development during the previous year continues in 2006 Unterneukirchen/Starnberg, October 26, 2006 – SKW Stahl-Metallurgie Holding AG, a 100% subsidiary of ARQUES Industries AG, is planning an IPO during the fourth quarter of 2006 in the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. According to own research, SKW Metallurgie is the world market leader in numerous chemical additives for hot metal desulphurisation and in secondary metallurgy. The proceeds accrued by SKW Metallurgie by way of the IPO are to be used for financing future growth. The consortium of banks will be headed by the Viscardi Securities Wertpapierhandelsbank as lead manager and sole book-runner of the IPO. Co-Lead Manager will be the Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale. The prospectus for the public offer is currently in the approval procedure at the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – BaFin). High profitability and sound balance sheet structure SKW Metallurgie generated annual revenues of approximately EUR 193 million in 2005 with approximately 220 employees and an EBIT margin of 5.7%. Even before the IPO, the company was characterised by very sound balance sheet relations. At the end of 2005 the equity ratio was 33% and the debt to equity ratio – defined as quotient of financial liabilities to equity – was at 0.8. SKW Metallurgie has successfully continued the positive development of the previous year during this financial year. The financial figures for the third quarter of 2006 will be published at the beginning of November in order to ensure better comparability with previous year’s financial figures and thereby create greater transparency. Further details regarding the IPO are to be disclosed at an IPO press and analysts conference in November 2006 once the prospectus for the public offer has been approved by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). After the approval of the prospectus for the public offer it will be published on the company’s internet page, www.skw-steel.com. Market leader with growth potential The operational business of the company is divided into two business divisions, ‘cored wire’ and ‘powder and granulate’. The company’s products enable steel producers to efficiently produce high-quality steel products. SKW profits in particular from the rising demand for high-quality steel in Eastern Europe and Asia. Its customers include leading international steel producing companies. The SKW Group looks back on more than 50 years of metallurgical know-how and at present operates in more than 35 countries. 48% of revenues are generated in Europe and 41% in the NAFTA region. The SKW Group has locations in Germany, France, the USA, South Korea, Japan and India. Proceeds of the IPO to serve the realisation of high growth potential The proceeds from the planned IPO are to be utilised by SKW Metallurgie to finance future growth. The focus in this regard will be on further regional expansion, in particular to Turkey and Eastern Europe, both by means of further development of its own manufacturing plants as well as by means of acquisitions. In addition, the value creation chain is to be extended by way of market entry into new product ranges as well as the company’s own access to important raw materials. A portion of the proceeds is to be utilised for financing of intensified expenditures for research and development. Contact SKW Stahl-Metallurgie Holding AG Christian Schunck Fabrikstraße 6 84579 Unterneukirchen Germany Tel.: +49 8634-617596 Fax: +49 8634-617594 E-Mail: schunck@skw-steel.com Internet: www.skw-steel.com ARQUES Industries AG Anke Lüdemann Münchner Str. 15a 82319 Starnberg Germany Tel.: +49 8151-6510 Fax: +49 8151-651500 E-Mail: luedemann@arques.de Internet: www.arques.de About SKW Stahl-Metallurgie Holding AG SKW Metallurgie is, according to own research, the world market leader in numerous chemical additives for hot metal desulphurisation and in secondary metallurgy. The operational business of the company is divided into two business divisions, ‘cored wire’ and ‘powder and granulate’. The company’s products enable the efficient production of high-quality steel products. SKW profits in particular from the rising demand for high-quality steel in Eastern Europe and Asia. Its Customers include leading international steel producing companies. The SKW Group looks back on more than 50 years of metallurgical know-how and at present operates in more than 35 countries. 48% of revenues are generated in Europe and 41% in the NAFTA region. The SKW Group has locations in Germany, France, the USA, South Korea, Japan and India. About ARQUES ARQUES Industries AG, Starnberg, (www.arques.de), 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 have been listed in the SDAX since September 19, 2005. Disclaimer This press release represents neither an offer to sell nor a request to purchase or subscribe securities/shares. This press release as well as the information contained therein may not be distributed or transferred to the United States of America (USA), or distributed or transferred to US-American persons (including legal entities), nor to any publications with a general distribution in the USA. Any infringement on these restrictions can constitute a violation of US-American security trading legal regulations. SKW Stahl-Metallurgie Holding AG shares are not offered for purchase in the USA. The aforesaid applies analogously to areas dependent on the USA as well as to Canada, Australia and areas dependent on Australia, Malaysia and Japan. (c)DGAP 26.10.2006 ————————————————————————— Language: English Issuer: ARQUES Industries AG Münchner Str. 15a 82319 Starnberg Deutschland Phone: +49 (0)8151 651-0 Fax: +49 (0)8151 651- 500 E-mail: info@arques.de WWW: www.arques.de ISIN: DE0005156004 WKN: 515600 Indices: SDAX Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service —————————————————————-