Ad-hoc | 24 April 2002 11:53

Sartorius AG english

Growth Trend Continues Ad-hoc-announcement processed and transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– Growth Trend Continues In the 1st quarter of 2002, Group sales revenue rose 9% to 110 million euros against the comparable period the previous year (101 million euros). Overall, the Group therefore successfully continued its growth process. The Biotechnology again reported exceptionally encouraging growth, with sales revenue up 26% compared with that of the first quarter a year earlier. This confirms the synergetic growth strategy just as the company’s decision to invest heavily in expanding the capacity of the Biotechnology Division by construction of the “Plant 2001”. On the contrary, the difficult business cycle situation during the 1st quarter of 2002 had a substantial impact on the Mechatronics Division. Its sales revenue fell 4% against that of the 1st quarter of 2001. In particular, the Industrial Mechatronics business area still did not meet expectations. As a result, in the 1st quarter of 2002, the sales revenue reported by the Biotechnology Division was higher than that posted by the Mechatronics Division for the first time. At 117 million euros, order intake for the 1st quarter of 2002 remained stable compared with that reported for the corresponding year-earlier period (117 million euros), with the Biotechnology Division showing an 11% gain over last year’s first quarter and the Mechatronics Division a 9% drop. These figures reported above are still preliminary. The first-quarter ratios and key figures of the consolidated balance sheet and earnings will not be published until the end of May this year as the corporation is currently converting to a new Management Information System (MIS). This new system is intended to provide even greater transparency in future throughout the entire Group and ensure faster availability of information that is important for financial controlling. The Sartorius subsidiary, B. Braun Biotech International GmbH (BBI), Melsungen, and the process system manufacturer and engineering partner, Diessel GmbH & Co., Hildesheim, have agreed to progressive cooperation. In the near future, this cooperation is to be reinforced by BBI’s acquisition of a minority interest in Diessel within the scope of a capital increase, among other measures. The objective of the alliance between BBI and Diessel GmbH & Co. is to create further substantial growth by expanding the engineering and manufacturing capacity levels they have in common because of the unabatedly high demand for fermenters. The final figures for the financial year 2001 will be presented today during an annual press conference. Following the final review by independent auditors, the figures published so far have been confirmed except for minor changes. end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 24.04.2002 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 716560; ISIN: DE0007165607; Index: SDax Listed: Amtlicher Handel in Frankfurt (SMAX), Hannover; Freiverkehr in Berlin, Hamburg 241153 Apr 02