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M&A Activity • Feb 22, 2008

News Details

Corporate | 22 February 2008 11:51

ARQUES sells building supplier, Missel, to strategic investor

ARQUES Industries 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.

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ARQUES sells building supplier, Missel, to strategic investor

• First company sale in financial year 2008
• At least five further company sales planned this year

Starnberg, February 22, 2008 - ARQUES Industries AG (ISIN DE0005156004) has
sold the operational business of the building supplier, Missel, within the
context of an asset deal to the world-wide operating KOLEKTOR group based
in Slovenia. ARQUES earned a total of approximately EUR 13 million from its
involvement in Missel including the real estate which will remain within
the ARQUES group.

The transaction is further proof of the successful company strategy of
acquiring companies in transitional situations and actively restructuring
and selling these companies with high earnings. Missel was taken over in
November 2004 from the Masco Corporation, Michigan/USA. ARQUES
substantially increased the company value of Missel by means of the
acquisition and complete integration of Schwab in 2006. Schwab has been
acquired from the Georg Fischer group. ARQUES already more than refinanced
the purchase prices for Missel and Schwab before the sale from the
operational business of Missel.

Missel is an industrial manufacturer of sanitary systems and accessories.
The company generated revenues to the value of approximately EUR 20 million
in the financial year 2007 (2004: approx. EUR 11 million) and an EBITDA of
around EUR 2 million (2004: EUR -2.7 million).

The buyer, KOLEKTOR, with its headquarters in Slovenia, is positioned in
similar segments and wishes to profit from the good positioning of the
Missel and Schwab brands in Germany, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
The long-term orientated strategic owner offers the employees and
management of Missel a sound environment with clear future prospects.

In the last twelve months ARQUES has succeeded in selling six companies
with total net proceeds of more than EUR 150 million. At least five further
exits are to follow the Missel transaction in the financial year 2008. 'In
the meantime ARQUES has a number of successfully restructured subsidiaries
where selling processes are currently under way and/or are being prepared.
Accordingly ARQUES confirms its aim of executing at least six company sales
in the current financial year', said Felix Frohn-Bernau, ARQUES Executive
Board Member responsible for exits.

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 MDAX as of October 1, 2007.

Contact

ARQUES Industries AG
Investor Relations & Corporate Communication
Anke Lüdemann, CEFA/CIIA
Email: luedemann@arques.de
Christian Schneider
Email: schneider@arques.de
Tel.: +49 (0) 8151 /651 0
22.02.2008 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: info@arques.de
Internet: www.arques.de
ISIN: DE0005156004
WKN: 515600
Indices: MDAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart

End of News DGAP News-Service

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