EANS-Adhoc: Hönle acquires Raesch, the quartz glass specialist (with photo)
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ad-hoc disclosure pursuant to section 15 of the WpHG transmitted by euro
adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely
responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Company Information
17.02.2012
Dr. Hönle AG acquires 80 % of the shares in the Raesch Group.
The corporate group manufactures tubing and semi-finished goods made of quartz
glass. Its customers come from various branches of industry, in particular,
however, from the lighting, semiconductor, automotive supplier and water
treatment industries. Bulbs for UV and infrared lamps are made from quartz
glass; in addition, the products are used in the semiconductor industry to
manufacture integrated circuits and in the automotive industry to manufacture
camshafts.
Raesch has a broad customer base and achieves approximately 75 % of its sales
revenues abroad, mainly in the Asian growth markets.
The company was established in Germany in 1990 and was expanded in 1997 to
include a production center for quartz glass components in Malta. The Raesch
Group consists of Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH, Langewiesen, and Raesch Quarz
(Malta) Ltd, Malta. In Germany, quartz glass tubing is manufactured using a
total of eight melting furnaces. In Malta, quartz tubing is further processed by
means of semi-automatic manufacturing processes. Raesch has a high degree of
manufacturing competence in both the production of quartz tubing as well as in
the further processing of quartz glass tubes.
Quartz glass of the highest degree of purity is produced at both locations by a
staff of approximately 150.
According to preliminary figures, sales revenues in 2011 amounted to ca. EUR 17
million, and the operating result (EBIT) came to ca. EUR 3.4 million.
The Raesch Group acquisition results in synergies in a number of segments.
Aladin GmbH and Speziallampen GmbH use quartz glass tubing from the Raesch Group
to manufacture UV medium-pressure and low-pressure lamps. Synergies also result
from transferring the manufacturing stages of the two companies to the Raesch
Group. As a consequence, production processes can be made more efficient and, at
the same time, more cost effective. Moreover, the Malta location provides tax
advantages. We also expect positive effects to arise from use of the Hönle Group
sales network in conjunction with the Raesch Group sales network.
We assume that the Raesch Group will experience sustained positive development
as we see good growth potential for quartz glass tubing in the most varied
segments of industry: Raesch tubing is used to manufacture computer chips in the
semiconductor industry and as lamp tubes, cladding tubes and protective tubes in
water treatment. In micro lithography, the quartz glass tubing of Raesch Group
is needed to manufacture displays. The automotive industry employs quartz glass
tubing as casting cores for camshafts and in the photovoltaics segment quartz
glass tubing is used in the oxidization and coating of silicon wafers, as well
as in the production of LEDs.
By taking over the Raesch Group, Hönle further expands its competence as a
photonic specialist. Also, with this acquisition, Hönle continues its strategy
of generating increased sales in the short-lived consumer goods or short-lived
commodities segments, in addition to the equipment and system business. The
share of consumer goods and short-lived commodities in Hönle Group´s total sales
revenues is above 50% after take-over of the Raesch Group.
Following the acquisition of an adhesives specialist and a lamp specialist, the
Hönle Group now also includes a quartz glass company due to the Raesch Group
take-over.
Upon signing the purchase contract, Dr. Hönle AG received the right to acquire
the remaining 20% stake in the Raesch Group. It has been agreed to maintain
secrecy as to the amount of the purchase price. Consolidation of the Raesch
Group will take place on 1 January, 2012.
As planned, Hönle will publish the 3-month report 2011/2012 on 28 February 2012.
The report will include planning figures regarding the sales and earnings
development of the Hönle Group for the current financial year, which also
include the effects of the Raesch Group acquisition.
Further information is available from the Raesch Group:
www.raesch.net
About Hönle:
Dr. Hönle AG is a listed technology company with registered head office in
Gräfelfing, near Munich. With a staff level of ca. 500 employees, the Hönle
Group is one of the world´s leading systems suppliers in the UV technology
segment. The equipment and systems are used for drying inks and coatings, curing
adhesives and plastics, disinfecting surfaces, and in the simulation of natural
sunlight. The Company´s business activities focus also on the development and
sale of industrial adhesives and compounds. The Group is represented by own
companies and sales partners worldwide at about 50 locations in more than 20
countries.
Pictures with Announcement:
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http://resources.euroadhoc.com/us/e1v0GA5l
Further inquiry note:
Peter Weinert
Tel.: +49 89 85608 173
E-Mail: peter.weinert@hoenle.de
Web: www.hoenle.de
end of announcement euro adhoc
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Pictures with Announcement:
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http://resources.euroadhoc.com/us/e1v0GA5l
issuer: Dr. Hönle AG
Lochhamer Schlag 1
D-82166 Gräfeling/München
phone: +49 89 85608 0
FAX: +49 89 85608 101
mail: ir@hoenle.de
WWW: www.hoenle.de
sector: Instrument Engineering
ISIN: DE0005157101
indexes: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technology All Share
stockmarkets: free trade: Hannover, Berlin, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf,
Stuttgart, regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt
language: English