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M&A Activity • Nov 28, 2008

News Details

Corporate | 28 November 2008 11:00

ARQUES acquires UK automotive glazing specialist, Auto Windscreens

ARQUES Industries AG / Acquisition

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.

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ARQUES acquires UK automotive glazing specialist, Auto Windscreens

• First ARQUES UK acquisition, revenues approximately EUR 120 million
• Typical ARQUES transaction with high restructuring potential
• Seventh acquisition in financial year 2008

Starnberg, November 28, 2008 - ARQUES Industries AG (ISIN DE0005156004),
based in Starnberg, took over the UK automotive glazing specialist, Auto
Windscreens Ltd., Chesterfield. The business has been sold by UK Motoring
Services business, RAC plc, a subsidiary of one of the largest
international insurance companies, AVIVA plc, who will concentrate on its
core insurance business in the future. For the first time within the ARQUES
group a transaction has been executed by the British subsidiary, ARQUES UK,
in London.

Auto Windscreens Ltd. is the second largest automotive glazing specialist
in the UK and generated revenues to the value of GBP 100 million (approx.
EUR 120 million) with 1.800 employees. Auto Windscreens repairs glass
damage in approximately 90 fitting centres and on-the-spot with a fleet of
over 700 fully equipped mobile service units. The company replaces and
repairs vehicle glass for a wide range of customers, including insurance
companies, leasing and car rental companies and local authorities. ARQUES
plans to increase the company’s customer base and simultaneously reduce
fixed costs significantly as well as focusing the number of service
centres on profitable locations.

'The takeover is a typical ARQUES transaction' said Dr. Michael Schumann,
chairman of the ARQUES executive board 'and demonstrates the
transferability of our business model to the UK. We are pleased to become
the business partner of a high profile UK company in our first
transaction', Schumann emphasized.

ARQUES UK country manager Christian Daumann added: 'There is a demand for
turnaround specialists such as ARQUES who acquire companies and actively
restructure and grow them.'

In August ARQUES had published a target of seven to ten acquisitions for
2008 and the takeover of Auto Windscreens is the seventh ARQUES Industries
AG acquisition during this period.

About ARQUES

ARQUES Industries AG, Starnberg, (www.arques.de), is a business partner of
conglomerates regarding company spin-offs and 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. 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 are listed in the SDAX.

Contact

ARQUES Industries AG
Corporate Communication
Christian Schneider
Email: schneider@arques.de

Tel.: +49 (0) 8151/ 651 0

ARQUES UK Limited
Christian Daumann
Email: Daumann@arques.co.uk
Tel.: +44 (0) 207 936 9989
28.11.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

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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: luedemann@arques.de
Internet: www.arques.de
ISIN: DE0005156004
WKN: 515600
Indices: SDAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart

End of News DGAP News-Service

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