Meyer Burger Technology AG — M&A Activity 2009

Jul 1, 2009

News Details

Corporate | 1 July 2009 11:26

Roth & Rau takes over Romaric Corporation

Roth & Rau AG / Acquisition

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Roth & Rau takes over Romaric Corporation

Hohenstein-Ernstthal, 1 July 2009 - Solar Holding Inc., a US subsidiary of
Roth & Rau AG, is acquiring 100% of the shares in Romaric Corporation, a
company based in Salt Lake City, USA. Founded in 2001, Romaric specialises
in manufacturing execution systems (MES) and has extensive experience in
the field of software automation for highly standardised manufacturing
companies, including in particular companies in the semiconductor industry.
Romaric's customers include AMD, Applied Materials and Intel. With its
innovative products, Romaric is able to simulate virtual factories in the
planning stage already and long before completion of construction work, as
well as testing software interfaces without the hardware to be controlled
having to be physically installed. The purchase price agreed consists of a
low single-digit million US dollar sum.

By integrating Romaric Corporation, the Roth & Rau Group is extending the
range of products and services it offers to customers in the photovoltaics
sector and is at the same time boosting its presence and network of
locations in the highly promising US solar market. Romaric is a
longstanding US partner of Roth & Rau's group subsidiary AIS Automation
Dresden GmbH.

'The acquisition of Romaric fits perfectly into our growth strategy. We
have learned to respect Romaric as a reliable partner in various projects
and are impressed by the services it offers to manufacturing companies in
highly standardised markets, such as the US semiconductor industry',
commented Dr. Dietmar Roth, CEO of Roth & Rau AG.

'By making this takeover, we are expanding our international presence in
the field of factory automation, a strategically important business area
not only for our turnkey production lines, but also for the management of
our individual equipment business. Together with our subsidiary AIS
Automation Dresden, Romaric will make a key contribution towards
standardising the photovoltaics industry in this area', explained Carsten
Bovenschen, CFO of Roth & Rau AG and also responsible for IT at the Group.

About Roth & Rau AG:
Roth & Rau AG based in Hohenstein-Ernstthal (ISIN DE000A0JCZ51) is one of
the world's leading suppliers of technologies and production equipment for
the photovoltaics industry. Roth & Rau's photovoltaic division (PV) focuses
on providing antireflective coating facilities as well as fully automated
manufacturing lines (turnkey production lines) for the production of
crystalline silicon solar cells. Another focus is on the production of
coating facilities and turnkey production lines for the production of thin
film solar modules. The plasma and ion beam technology division (PIB)
produces plasma sources and ion beam sources as well as process systems for
plasma and ion beam enhanced thin film and surface processing methods.
Customers served by this division include, in particular, companies in the
semiconductor industry, R&D departments in various industries including
photovoltaics as well as research institutes and universities. The third
division, 'Other activities', comprises maintenance and service, software
products as well as other products and services. Roth & Rau AG posted EBIT
of EUR 28.5 million and sales of EUR 272.1 million pursuant to IFRS for the
2008 financial year and employed 606 people as of 31 December 2008. In the
first three months of 2009, the Group generated earnings before interest
and taxes of EUR 7.1 million on sales of EUR 66.1 million. The headcount
increased to 702 as at 31 March 2009.

Contact:
Roth & Rau AG
Dr. Silvia Roth
Tel.: +49 (0) 3723/6685-333
E-Mail: investor@roth-rau.de

Haubrok Investor Relations GmbH
Simone Gorny
Tel.: +49 (0) 211/30126-130
E-Mail: s.gorny@haubrok.de
01.07.2009 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

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Language: English
Issuer: Roth & Rau AG
An der Baumschule 6-8
09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Deutschland
Phone: 03723 6685-0
Fax: 03723 6685-100
E-mail: info@roth-rau.de
Internet: www.roth-rau.de
ISIN: DE000A0JCZ51
WKN: A0JCZ5
Indices: TecDAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Stuttgart, München, Düsseldorf

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