2005-07-01: Topping-out ceremony at new technotrans building in Gersthofen
Construction work on biggest real investment in company's history makes swift, on-schedule progress / new "Cleaning Systems" product area developing successfully

Just five months after commencing construction work, technotrans today celebrates the topping-out ceremony for the new building near Augsburg. The biggest real investment in the company's history will be completed this year in Ziegeleistrasse, in Gersthofen's Southwest Trading Estate. The extended capacity - specifically a three-fold increase in production and office area - at this location in South Germany paves the way for the manufacture of products for the new product area of Cleaning Systems there, in addition to the Ink Systems product area that has until now been based in Stadtbergen.



technotrans, the leading systems supplier of peripheral equipment for offset printing presses and systems for the manufacturing of microstructures, is planning to launch its new "blanket cleaners" - used for cleaning the printing cylinders on a printing press - before the end of this year. Development work on the product series is progressing according to schedule and the results of initial tests were actually better than expected. Efficient volume production is to be based at the new plant from the outset.



Alois Scharf, Head of the South German plant, is consequently particularly upbeat about the rapid, on-target progress of construction work. The building is expected to be ready in September, enabling the company to occupy the premises in October. "Our employees have been able to view the shell of the building that will be their new place of work at today's topping-out ceremony. Everyone can feel that the move to the spacious new building represents a quantum leap for us, and clearly demonstrates our positive expectations of future developments here," remarked Scharf. "The workforce will benefit from state-of-the-art facilities. But something that is just as important for us all is that the new location has a long-term future thanks to the prospects for the new product area." technotrans currently employs around 75 people in Stadtbergen; this figure is anticipated to double in the medium term.

The new building's data:

The site of almost 18,000 m2 will include over 7,500 m2 of office, production and store areas. These are spread over a three-storey office block, a single-storey reception and recreation zone and a single-storey production and warehouse with integral 2-storey office zone. The project has been designed to accommodate further expansion: the building could in theory be extended by around a further 30 percent.
At the topping-out ceremony, the cladding of the outer walls already revealed something of the building's final appearance, using of course the corporate colours of blue and white.

"More technotrans per printing press"
For many years now, technotrans has been successfully pursuing the strategy of gradually tapping fresh potential for growth through new products, based on the ambition to achieve "more technotrans per printing press". Its aim remains to secure a world market share of at least 50 percent in every product area. Starting later on this year, the new cleaning systems will be contributing towards the future growth of the company. As a systems supplier to the printing industry, technotrans is tapping into an entirely new market that has a worldwide market volume of EUR 120 to 150 million with a product development of its own.

technotrans, as a systems supplier to the printing industry, has two production plants in Germany. The group has nearly 700 employees, around two-thirds of them based in Germany. The target consolidated revenue for 2005 is in the region of EUR 120 to 125 million.

Planning: Altefrohne Planungsgesellschaft mbH, Warendorf
Contractor for turnkey construction: Probst company, Oelde
Investment volume: Over EUR 6 million

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These press releases contain forward-looking statements which are based on assumptions and estimations by the management board of technotrans AG. Even though the management board is of the opinion, that those assumptions and estimations are realistic the future development and the projected results may deviate substantially from the forward-looking statements. Those deviations can be due to several factors including but not limited to changes in the macro-economic situation, in the exchange rates, in the interest rates and in the graphic arts industry. technotrans AG gives no warranty and does not assume the liability for any damages in case the future development and the projected results do not correspond with the forward looking statements.