EANS-News: LPKF prepares Group structure for further growth
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Strategic management decisions/Group restructuring
Garbsen (euro adhoc) - Garbsen, 10 June 2011
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG today closed contracts of sale on the acquisition of external stakes in two subsidiaries. Completion of the contracts of sale will give LPKF AG a 100% shareholding in LPKF Motion & Control GmbH in Suhl and a 100% shareholding in LPKF Distribution Inc. in Portland (USA). Early in 2011, the company already acquired the external shares in its Chinese subsidiary.
CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer considers the acquisition of the shareholdings to be an important step in pushing forward the company´s strong growth in different segments. "As a high-tech company, our success largely depends on how fast we can respond to changes in our markets. This can be hindered by complex Group structures. Our aim is to restructure the Group to enable us to rapidly implement strategic decisions."
LPKF boasts several product segments with strong growth potential. These include the Thin Film Technologies segment in particular, which currently has an order book totalling more than EUR 10 million. Laser scribers for the production of solar cells are developed and manufactured at LPKF´s business location in Suhl. The acquisition of the shares in LPKF Motion & Control GmbH establishes the conditions needed by LPKF AG to considerably strengthen this segment operatively and financially.
An immediately payable purchase price tranche of EUR 3.3 million was agreed for the acquisition of the 49.1% shareholding in LPKF Motion & Control GmbH. The payment of two more purchase price tranches with similar volumes has also been agreed dependent on achieving contractually defined performance targets by 2014. Approx. 10% of the additional purchase price tranches will be paid in the form of new shares in LPKF Laser & Electronics AG.
The acquisition of the external 15% shares in LPKF Distribution Inc. in Portland (USA) was paid in the form of 50,000 new shares in LPKF Laser & Electronics AG. For this purpose, the management board acted with the approval of the supervisory board to raise the capital by EUR 50,000 with the exclusion of subscription rights as empowered by the resolution adopted by the Annual General Meeting on 10 June 2010 (authorized capital).
About LPKF
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG specializes in the production of laser systems for micro-material processing, a field in which it is the world leader in several sectors. Founded in 1976, the Group has its headquarters in Garbsen near Hannover in Germany, and does business around the world together with its subsidiaries and representatives. LPKF boosted its Group revenue in 2010 by 60% to over EUR 81 million. LPKF has around 500 employees globally. The shares in LPKF Laser & Electronics AG are traded on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN 0006450000).
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company: LPKF Laser & Electronics AG
Osteriede 7
D-30827 Garbsen
phone: +49(0)5131 7095 382
FAX: +49(0)5131 7095 90
mail: investorrelations@lpkf.de
WWW: http://www.lpkf.de
sector: Semiconductors & active components
ISIN: DE0006450000
indexes: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technology All Share
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt, free trade: Berlin,
Hamburg, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Hannover, München
language: EnglishContact:
Helga Renners
Vorstandsassistenin
Tel.: +49 (0) 5131 7095 1381
E-Mail: helga.renners@lpkf.com
Branche: Semiconductors & active components
ISIN: DE0006450000
WKN: 645000
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technology All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
Hannover / free trade
München / free trade