Baar, 30 October 2006 – Meyer Burger Technology AG, a leading provider of wire, band and ID/OD saws for cutting extremely hard and brittle materials, is planning an initial public offering on the SWX Swiss Exchange, which shall take place in the next few weeks. The IPO will include an offering of new registered shares, and an offering of shares from the previous majority shareholder BB-Kapitalbeteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Berlin, as well as from existing minority shareholders. With the proceeds from the newly issued shares, the company will finance its continuing growth and expand its leadership position in the market.
Meyer Burger was founded over 50 years ago. Today the company is a specialist technology firm which develops and manufactures machines for slicing silicon blocks or ingots into wafers and other forms. These are used primarily in the photovoltaic, semiconductor and optical industries.
"Meyer Burger is the leading expert in the field of wire, band, ID/OD saws. Building on our core competences, we intend to expand our offer along the complete wafer production process in the growing solar market. The planned public offering is therefore a key step towards establishing ourselves more quickly as an integrated system provider along the value chain," says Peter Pauli, CEO of Meyer Burger.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Peter M. Wagner, adds: "Our target is to optimise the processing costs of wafer production for our customers. By expanding our portfolio along the value chain, we will further consolidate our technological leadership and our position as market leader."
Zürcher Kantonalbank and Landesbank Baden-Württemberg have been appointed as joint lead manager and joint bookrunner. The timing of the IPO will depend on capital market conditions. Further information on the planned IPO will be published in due course.
Media conference
A media conference will take place on Tuesday, 31 October 2006:9.30 a.m.
Media Conference at ConventionPoint, SWX Swiss Exchange, Selnaustrasse 30, CH-8021 Zurich
Speakers:
Peter M. Wagner Chairman of the Board of Directors
Peter Pauli Chief Executive Officer
Michel Hirschi Chief Financial Officer
About Meyer Burger Technology Ltd
http://www.meyerburger.ch/
Meyer Burger Technology Ltd is a leading and globally active technology group for innovative systems and processes for cutting and handling crystalline and other high-grade materials.
The machines, competences and technologies of the different companies in the group are used in the solar industry (photovoltaics), semi-conductor and optical industry. The thinnest wafers made from silicon, sapphire or other crystals are required in these three markets to manufacture solar modules, switching circuits or high-performance LEDs. The group’s core competences are made up of a whole range of production processes, machines and systems that are used within the value chain in the manufacture of high quality wafers. The comprehensive range of products is complemented by a worldwide service network with wear and tear parts, consumables, re-grooving service, process know-how, servicing, after-sales service, training and other services. As a globally active company, the group is represented in Europe, Asia and North America in the respective key markets.
Meyer Burger has its headquarters and the production facility of Meyer Burger Ltd in Switzerland, while the group companies, Meyer Burger Automation GmbH, Hennecke Systems GmbH and and AMB Apparate + Maschinenbau GmbH, have their headquarters and production facilities in Germany. The group also has subsidiaries and own service centres in Germany, Norway, China and Japan, which all are represented by its own staff on-site. In Taiwan and the USA, Meyer Burger works with independent sales and service partners that are part of Meyer Burger’s global service network. In other important countries the company relies on selected independent agents. Meyer Burger generated net sales of CHF 455 million in fiscal year 2008 and employed more than 630 staff worldwide as of year end 2008.
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THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT BEING ISSUED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND SHOULD NOT BE DISTRIBUTED TO U.S. PERSONS OR PUBLICATIONS WITH A GENERAL CIRCULATION IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES. IN ADDITION, THE SECURITIES OF MEYER BURGER TECHNOLOGY LTD HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR DELIVERED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS ABSENT REGISTRATION UNDER OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS.
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