Corporate | 11 April 2008 08:59
Manz Automation AG / Miscellaneous Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Reutlingen, April 11, 2008 – Manz Automation AG is expanding its home facility in Reutlingen by building another production hall with office facilities. In addition, a customer center with a canteen and additional conference rooms and offices are also being built. CEO Dieter Manz turned the first sod at yesterday's ground-breaking ceremony for this construction work – the largest to date in the company's history. This project has a volume of around EUR 20 million and the new property is being financed via a lease to ensure that it does not tie up additional company capital. This step will allow Manz Automation to substantially increase its capacity at its Reutlingen facility in order to meet demand, which is enjoying dynamic growth. The building will house 65 workshop workstations as well as 240 office workstations, which are to be occupied when the building is completed at the end of 2008. In total, the new building has a usable area of around 9,100 m². This comprises 3,787 m² of production space, which is to be used for future growth, and almost 2,800 m² of warehouse space for production material and end products. A further 2,500 m² will be available as offices and conference rooms. The existing buildings will also be partially converted into a technology and training center for employees and customers. The company is thus reinforcing its research and development and sales and marketing departments. Dieter Manz pointed towards further growth at the ground-breaking ceremony: 'Expanding our capacity is the logical consequence of our constantly growing order book. As we are also forecasting substantial growth in future, we have secured further space at our Reutlingen facility at an early stage. This will allow us to expand our capacity still further in the coming years and to hire additional employees.' Company profile Manz Automation AG develops and manufactures systems and components for automation, quality assurance and laser process technology. The company's core competences are to be found in robotics, image processing, laser technology and control technology. Manz Automation AG thus unites bundled expertise from elementary technology areas to achieve optimum results for its customers. The company has three divisions: photovoltaic (systems.solar), LCD (systems.lcd) and components and OEM-systems (systems.aico) for automation in various sectors of industry including the life-science industry. Reutlingen-based Manz Automation AG was formed in 1987 and has branches in the USA, Taiwan, Korea, China, Spain and India. In addition, the company owns production facilities in Tübingen, Slovakia and Hungary. According to preliminary figures, the Manz Group recorded revenues of EUR 71.2 million in fiscal year 2007, up almost 63% year-on-year. More than 55% of revenues are recorded abroad, in particular in Asia. Investor relations contact Manz Automation AG Birte-Christina Benecke Tel.: +49 (0)7121 – 9000-21 Fax: +49 (0)7121 – 9000-99 E-Mail: bbenecke@manz-automation.com cometis AG Ulrich Wiehle Tel.: +49 (0)611 – 205855-11 Fax: +49 (0)611 – 205855-66 E-Mail: wiehle@cometis.de 11.04.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP ----------------------------------------------------------------------