Ad-hoc | 3 April 2000 20:24

Ad hoc-Service: Nordd. Affinerie AG

Ad-hoc Mitteilung übermittelt durch die DGAP. Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist allein der Emittent verantwortlich. —————————————————————————— Hamburg, 3rd April 2000 – The new company Spiess-Urania Chemicals GmB will achieve a turnover of about 185 million DM in the year 2000 and has very good growth potential. In the German agrochemicals market the company will be ranked 5, thus making up ground on the market leaders. NAs Supervisory Board agreed to the intended merger at their meeting on 3rd April 2000. Norddeutsche Affinerie AG (NA) and C.F. Spiess & Sohn GmbH & Co. (Spiess) intend amalgamating their plant protection and agrochemical activities in Spiess-Urania Chemicals GmbH (Spiess-Urania). The merger should be backdated to 1st October 1999. NA is bringing Urania Chemicals GmbH (Urania) into the new company and Spiess contributing that part of its business which is concentrated on plant protection and agrochemicals. Urania is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NA with a turnover of about 95 million DM. Its main sales region is in Northern Germany. For more than 50 years Urania has been successfully active on the agrochemical market and sells its own agrochemicals and copper-based fungicides through its own distribution network. It has particularly specialised in vegetation control on railway tracks and is already the market leader in this sector. On 1st October 1999 the NA Group copper chemical activities were integrated in Urania as part of restructuring measures. Consequently, it was possible to expand the business to include industrial applications for copper-based chemical products. This has had the greatest impact on the agricultural sector due to products and substances being complemented and combined. In total Urania has 120 employees. Spiess likewise distributes agrochemicals and copper-based plant protection products and has specialised, in particular, on plant protection in wine and fruit growing. Up to now Spiess has concentrated on Southern Germany. Urania and Spiess have worked together for more than 50 years in the German agrochemical market as regards product acquisition and development as well as the official registration procedures for products. Both companies product ranges complement each other ideally. In addition to enhancing the market position the amalgamation will offer significant synergies in licences, distribution rights, research and development just as administration. Moreover, Spiess and Urania have contacts worldwide which should be enhanced to strengthen their international presence. Both companies already hold a 50 % stake each in Spiess-Urania Pflanzenschutz GmbH, Ochsenfurt, a formulation and filling works for plant protection products. Thus, the prerequisites are excellent for an amalgamation of the two companies as Spiess-Urania. In the year 2000 the new company will achieve a turnover of about 185 million DM and has the potential to increase the turnover in the next few years to considerably more than 200 million DM p.a. Spiess-Urania will be ranked no. 5 in the German agrochemical sector and can therefore close the gap to the market leaders. The improved competitive position increases the companys attraction and long-term reliability for its licensors. NA will hold the majority of the shares in the merged company. The amalgamation of the two companies is still subject to approval being given by the antitrust authorities. You will find further information in the internet under http://www.na-ag.com and http://www.spiess-company.com Ende der Mitteilung