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M&A Activity • Dec 21, 2006

News Details

Corporate | 21 December 2006 07:45

ARQUES subsidiary, tiscon AG Infosystems, takes over IT distributors with revenues of approx. EUR 270 mill.

ARQUES Industries AG / Acquisition

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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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ARQUES subsidiary, tiscon AG Infosystems, takes over IT distributors with
revenues of approx. EUR 270 mill.

? 12. takeover in the ARQUES group in 2006
? Annualised group revenues increase by 25% to more than EUR 1.3 billion
? Third stock exchange listed ARQUES subsidiary commences operations

Starnberg, December 21, 2006 ? tiscon AG Infosystems (ISIN DE0007458804), a
78% subsidiary of ARQUES Industries AG (ISIN DE0005156004), takes over the
German IT distribution activities of the Swiss COS Computer Systems AG
within the context of an asset deal. Included are COS Distribution AG,
Avitos GmbH as well as Topedo GmbH. All three companies have their
headquarters in Linden, Hessen, and together generated revenues of more
than EUR 270 million in 2005. Herewith tiscon ranks among the five largest
German IT distributors. tiscon is currently the market leader in the IT
specialised trade segment focusing on small and medium-sized businesses.
The transaction was filed at the Federal Cartel Office for amalgamation
control.

On the IT product distribution market, which is strongly fragmented
particularly within the small and medium-sized company segments, ARQUES,
together with its subsidiary, tiscon, is aiming at establishing itself as
consolidator by means of a European 'Buy & Build' strategy. Further
acquisitions in this business segment are planned for the year 2007.

The experienced industry specialist, Michael Krings, founder of the network
distributor, Compu-Shack GmbH, has been managing the operational business
of COS Distribution AG since the summer of 2006 and has already implemented
restructuring measures. These measures are to produce at least balanced
results in 2007. Positive figures are aimed at for subsequent years. Within
the scope of the transaction, the Swiss COS Computer Systems AG and Michael
Krings will have a substantial investment interest in tiscon AG.

'Not only can the future-oriented restructuring of COS Distribution be
achieved faster and more efficiently with this strategy and the consistent
implementation of development potential, but our employees, customers and
suppliers are given additional opportunities which we alone could not have
offered', designated executive chairman of tiscon AG, Michael Krings, said
about Infosystems.

COS Distribution AG distributes products for information technology,
telecommunications as well as consumer electronics. The company is the
leading distributor for the IT trade, focusing on small and medium-sized
companies in Germany. COS Distribution supplies the products of more than
100 branded article manufacturers, such as Acer, ASUS, Intel, Microsoft,
Hewlett-Packard, Logitech, Samsung, Canon and Epson. Avitos GmbH is one of
the largest internet shops for IT products in Germany and supplies mainly
private customers via www.primustronix.de and www.avitos.de. Topedo
specialises in the manufacture of mass produced PCs, servers, BTO systems,
multimedia PCs and notebooks for the specialised IT trade.

Three stock exchange listed subsidiaries in the ARQUES group

With this takeover, ARQUES announces the 12. acquisition in the current
financial year. The takeover is the largest in the company history in terms
of revenues. With this transaction, the ARQUES group?s annualised revenues
increase by around 25% to more than EUR 1.3 billion. Acquisitions with a
total annualised revenues volume of EUR 775 million have been transacted so
far in 2006. With reference to the business dynamics, ARQUES substantially
raised its prognoses for the financial years 2006 and 2007 at the beginning
of December. Further acquisitions for 2006 are in preparation.

Aside from SKW Stahl-Metallurgie Holding AG and ARQUANA International Print
& Media AG, tiscon AG Infosystems is the third ARQUES subsidiary to be
listed on the regulated market. As was the case with ARQUANA at the end of
2005, ARQUES will fill the corporate shell of tiscon AG with new
operational business activity. SKW Metallurgie AG, was listed on the stock
exchange in December 2006 by means of a classical IPO.

About ARQUES

ARQUES Industries AG, Starnberg, (www.arques.de), is 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. ARQUES has made a duty of identifying underestimated
companies with reduced survivability but with high appreciation potential,
at the same time mastering complex company structures and transitional
situations. 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 since September 19,
2005.

Contact:

ARQUES Industries AG

Anke Lüdemann, CEFA/CIIA
Manager: Investor Relations & Corporate Communication
Email: luedemann@arques.de

Christian Schneider
Public Relations
Email. schneider@arques.de

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

DGAP 21.12.2006

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
WWW: www.arques.de
ISIN: DE0005156004
WKN: 515600
Indices: SDAX
Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin-Bremen, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart

End of News DGAP News-Service

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