Ad-hoc | 31 January 2006 07:20

Villeroy & Boch AG: Villeroy & Boch takes over leading supplier of ceramic sanitary ware in Mexico

Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— February 2006 Villeroy & Boch takes over leading supplier of ceramic sanitary ware in Mexico On January 30th 2006, subject to approval under cartel law, Villeroy & Boch took over the entire ceramic sanitary-ware business of the Mexican industrial group ‘Grupo Industrial Saltillo’ (GIS). This take over involved three sanitary ware factories with a capacity of 2.1 million units. Under the brand names Vitromex and St. Thomas Creation the 950 employees achieve a turnover of around USD 60 million, roughly 45% of which on the US market. The parties concerned have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. Owing to Villeroy & Boch’s strong presence in the tableware sector, the US market is already the company’s second most important export market after France. By making this acquisition, the company is creating an industrial platform on which its most profitable Business Segment – ceramic sanitary ware – can develop both this strategically important market, and the growing markets in Central and South America. The acquisition will not give rise to any adverse effects for employees in Europe. (c)DGAP 31.01.2006 ————————————————————————— language: English emitter: Villeroy & Boch AG Saaruferstraße 66693 Mettlach Deutschland phone: +49 (0)6864 81-1217 fax: +49 (0)6864 81-1478 email: schulien.sandra@villeroy-boch.de WWW: www.villeroy-boch.de ISIN: DE0007657231 WKN: 765723 indexes: SDAX stockmarkets: Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service —————————————————————————