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M&A Activity • Nov 21, 2007

News Details

Corporate | 21 November 2007 08:00

ARQUES buys Actebis national subsidiaries in Scandinavia

ARQUES Industries AG / Acquisition

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory
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The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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ARQUES buys Actebis national subsidiaries in Scandinavia

• Leading Scandinavian IT distributor with revenues of EUR 500 million
• Regional expansion of distribution activities
• Quick integration of companies into Actebis Group
• ARQUES annualised group revenues exceed EUR 5 billion

Starnberg, November 21, 2007 - ARQUES Industries AG has taken over all
shares in the Northern European companies of the IT distributor, Actebis.
The seller is the Otto Group which is withdrawing from the IT wholesale
business segment for strategic reasons and has now selected ARQUES as
transaction partner for the second time within only a few months. As
recently as July ARQUES took over the Actebis national subsidiaries in
Germany, Austria, France and the Netherlands from the Otto Group. The newly
acquired companies include the Actebis branch offices in Denmark, Norway
and Sweden. The takeover is subject to the usual approval of the relevant
cartel authorities. ARQUES expects the completion of the takeover by the
end of the year.

The strongly growing companies generated revenues of approximately EUR 500
million on a profitable basis in 2006 with approximately 370 employees.
ARQUES Industries AG will integrate the acquired Northern European units
into the Actebis Group which was taken over in July, and thereby regionally
expand its IT distribution activities. With this acquisition the revenues
of the Actebis Group belonging to ARQUES increase to more than EUR 3
billion.

'With the takeover of the Northern European Actebis national subsidiaries,
ARQUES is bringing together that which belongs together. During the
integration of the companies only marginal costs will arise and simple but
effective synergy effects will be obtained. Actebis will participate in the
dynamic development within the IT segment in Scandinavia', said ARQUES
executive board member responsible for acquisitions, Dr. Michael Schumann.

'ARQUES has taken over a very healthy and profitable enterprise from the
Otto Group in the Northern European Actebis. We are confident that ARQUES
will actively advance the development of all the Actebis national
subsidiaries taken over from Otto and will provide for job security. As a
reliable business partner, ARQUES offers Actebis very good future
prospects', said Jürgen Schulte-Laggenbeck, chief financial officer of the
Otto Group.

With this transaction ARQUES announces the fifteenth acquisition in the
financial year 2007. ARQUES’ annualised group revenues have reached a new
record level of more than EUR 5 billion; ARQUES generated group revenues of
EUR 768 million in 2006 and originally aimed at EUR 1.5 billion for 2007.

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

Public Relations
Christian Schneider
Email: schneider@arques.de

Tel.: +49 (0) 8151/ 651 0
21.11.2007 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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