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M&A Activity • Dec 22, 2005

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Corporate | 22 December 2005 15:40

ARQUES increases annualised group turnover to close on EUR600 million

Corporate-news transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— ARQUES increases annualised group turnover to close on EUR600 million. Print holding, ARQUANA, acquires Wanfried-Druck Kalden GmbH Starnberg, December 22, 2005 – The annualised group turnover of ARQUES Industries AG (ISIN DE0005156004) in 2005 increases by over 5% to EUR590 million by way of a company purchase by the ARQUES subsidiary, ARQUANA. The annual turnover goal of a half billion Euro (annualised) was thereby exceeded by 18%. By way of the acquisition of ten new subsidiaries, ARQUES has increased its sales volume by more than EUR300 million in 2005 alone. ARQUES confirms its goal of reaching a turnover of one billion Euro by the end of 2006 on annualised basis. For the financial year 2005, ARQUES adheres to the forecast published on November 8, 2005 according to which the group turnover should amount to EUR415 million, the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to EUR32.5 million and the earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to EUR20.4 million. The print holding, ARQUANA International Print & Media AG (ISIN DE0006781008), acquires Wanfried-Druck GmbH with its headquarters in Wanfried near Eschwege (Hessen) with immediate effect. The seller is Viennese Constantia Packaging AG, an international packaging concern. The company shows positive results with approximately 180 staff members and an annual turnover of approximately EUR30 million. The purchase price is divided into a cash component to the value of EUR0.7 million and 25,000 shares in ARQUANA International Print & Media AG at market value. Thus the shares of ARQUANA could be used once more as an accepted acquisition currency. Including the takeover of Wanfried-Druck Kalden GmbH, ARQUES and the print holding ARQUANA have acquired six companies in the fourth quarter 2005. In October the ARQUES portfolio was expanded by the Sommer Fahrzeugbau Group in Bielefeld, tiscon AG Infosystems in Ulm, as well as the new ARQUANA printers Evry Rotatives S.A.S. (France) and Nord Offset Druck GmbH in Ellerbek near Hamburg. The web offset printer Sochor Group GmbH (Austria) was added in November. ARQUES chairman, Dr. Dr. Peter Löw: “Many considered the goals which ARQUES had set itself for 2005 unattainable within a period of one year. Now the targets, such as the annualised turnover of EUR500 million, have been exceeded and through ARQUANA we have “built” a strong company which has a very big change of success in the market.” Contact: ARQUES Industries AG Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Anke Lüdemann, CEFA/CIIA Tel.: +49 (0) 8151/ 651 0 Email: luedemann@arques.de DenkLeistung Kommunikationsmanagement Monika Schlesinger Tel.: +49 (0) 8141/ 53 97 02 Email: Monika.Schlesinger@t-online.de End of announcement (c)DGAP 22.12.2005 —————————————————————————— WKN: 515600 ; ISIN: DE0005156004; Index: SDAX Listed: Geregelter Markt (Prime Standard) in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin- Bremen, München und Stuttgart