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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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Mergers - Acquisitions - Takeovers
21.12.2012
Gräfelfing, Munich, 21 December 2012
Today the Hönle Group signed the contract of purchase for the acquisition of all
major assets of Grafix GmbH. The Grafix GmbH creditors' committee had already
accepted Dr. Hönle AG's binding offer of 14 December 2012. The assets are being
acquired by a wholly owned subsidiary of Dr. Hönle AG, which will continue
Grafix GmbH's businesses under the latter's established name. Besides the fixed
and current assets, including a business property at the Unterlüß site (Celle),
the assets acquired also encompass the entire business activity of the insolvent
Grafix GmbH. As already reported on 14.12.2012, the purchase price agreed was a
low single-digit million amount.
The acquisition of the assets becomes effective in law from the beginning of
January 2013.
Practically all the employees of Grafix GmbH not taken on by the Hönle Group
have stated that they are prepared to switch to a newly founded employment and
qualification company as of 01.01.2013.
Because of the acquisition of the assets of Grafix GmbH the publication of the
annual report of Dr. Hönle AG for the 2011/2012 financial year will be deferred
from 14 January 2013 to 28 January 2013.
Stuttgart-based Grafix GmbH is a leading global producer of peripheral devices
used in the colour fixing segment. The company's product program comprises
drying and powder spraying systems, fountain solution & ink temperature control
systems. Grafix supplies both printing firms and printing machine manufacturers
with this product program. As an important supplier, Grafix has access to
leading manufacturers of offset and digital printing machines worldwide. In
addition, Grafix offers solutions for other sectors of industry such as the
glass, plastics and pharmaceutical industries.
The company was founded in Stuttgart in 1947 and was extended by a second
production site at Unterlüß in the year 2000. With approximately 100 employees,
Grafix will generate revenues of about EUR 10 million in 2012. On 15 October
2012, Grafix GmbH filed a petition for preliminary insolvency proceedings.
Dr. Hönle AG assumes that the successor of Grafix GmbH will contribute
positively to Hoenle Group earnings as early as in the 2012/2013 business year.
Additional information via Grafix GmbH:
www.grafix-online.de
About Hönle:
Dr. Hönle AG is a listed technology company with registered head office in
Gräfelfing near Munich. With about 500 employees, the Hönle Group is among the
leading suppliers in the UV technology segment worldwide. The equipment is used
in colour and paint drying, in adhesives and plastics hardening and in surface
sterilization and sunlight simulation. Adhesives and casting compounds for
industrial applications are another focus of activities. Moreover, the corporate
group manufactures UV beamers for water sterilization and produces tubes and
semi-finished products from fused quartz for use in various sectors of industry.
Worldwide, the Hönle Group is represented at ca. 50 locations in more than 20
countries with its own companies and distribution partners.
Contact: Dr. Hönle AG, Peter Weinert, Lochhamer Schlag 1, 82166
Gräfelfing/Munich, phone: 089-85608-173, peter.weinert@hoenle.de, www.hoenle.de
Further inquiry note:
Peter Weinert, phone: +49 89 85608 173, mail: peter.weinert@hoenle.de
end of announcement euro adhoc
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issuer: Dr. Hönle AG
Lochhamer Schlag 1
D-82166 Gräfelfing/München
phone: +49 89 85608 0
FAX: +49 89 85608 101
mail: peter.weinert@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