Roth & Rau AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

16.05.2011 / 09:17

Roth & Rau publishes statement concerning voluntary public takeover offer from Meyer Burger Technology AG

Hohenstein-Ernstthal, 16 May 2011 - The Management and Supervisory Boards of Roth & Rau AG have published their joint statement pursuant to § 27 of the Securities Acquisitions and Takeover Act (WpÜG) in respect of the voluntary public takeover offer made by Meyer Burger Technology AG (MBT). In this statement, they conclude that, at EUR 22.00 per Roth & Rau share, the price offered is appropriate in financial terms, and that the offer price is consistent with the relevant legal requirements.
The Management and Supervisory Boards therefore expressly support the offer and recommend Roth & Rau shareholders to accept.

Furthermore, the Management and Supervisory Boards also support the strategy proposed by Meyer Burger in respect of the future business activities of the future MBT Group, which the Management and Supervisory Boards believe to be in the best interests of Roth & Rau AG and its shareholders. In particular, Roth & Rau approves the planned uniform strategic management of MBT AG and the structuring of operations and R&D activities, as well as service and sales activities, within individual technology and competence centres. The competencies available at the MBT Group result in complementary effects in the fields of wafer, cell and module production. The future MBT Group will thus have expertise covering virtually the whole of the value chain, with each individual company holding a leading position in its specific segment. Moreover, by pooling research and development it will also be possible to integrate and optimise the interfaces between wafers, cells and modules within the relevant development activities. Here, Roth & Rau AG will assume technology leadership and be able to deploy its available resources even more effectively. As the companies involved have the same customer basis but are not in any way competitors of each other, it will be possible to put existing sales and services structures to more efficient use. The resultant opportunities to further improve customer support represent an additional market advantage.

The Management and Supervisory Boards of Roth & Rau AG further welcome the fact that Meyer Burger has expressly committed itself to maintaining Roth & Rau AG as a German operating company in future as well and that no relocation or closure of Roth & Rau AG, or of key sections of the company, is envisaged in the medium term. The Works Council of Roth & Rau AG also welcomes the statements made in the offer concerning the retention of individual company locations within the Roth & Rau Group. The Works Council is equally positive concerning the statement made by Meyer Burger Technology AG that it has no intention of terminating employment contracts with employees at the Roth & Rau Group.

Alongside the company founders and major shareholders Dr. Dietmar Roth, Prof. Dr. Silvia Roth and Dr. Bernd Rau, the Management Board members Dr. Paulus Breddels and Thomas Hengst have also already sold or intend to sell their shares to Meyer Burger Technology AG.

The complete statement has been published on the internet at www.roth-rau.com.

About Roth & Rau AG:
Roth & Rau AG, based in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, has been one of the world's leading suppliers of production equipment and innovative production technologies for the photovoltaics industry for more than 10 years now. In its photovoltaics segment, Roth & Rau focuses on providing antireflective coating systems and a variety of advisory and technology transfer services for the installation of complete production lines for use in the manufacture of crystalline silicon solar cells. Further products include thermal processing systems also used in the manufacture of crystalline silicon solar cells, as well as coating systems and technological support for the manufacture of thin film solar modules. Roth & Rau MicroSystems, a subsidiary located in the Wüstenbrand district, develops and produces process systems for plasma and ion beam enhanced thin film and surface processing methods tailored to customers' specific needs. The customers served by this division particularly include companies in the semiconductor industry, R&D departments in various other industrial sectors, research institutes and universities. The portfolio of the Roth & Rau Group is supplemented by software products in the field of systems management, production monitoring and maintenance and service offerings.
Contact:
Roth & Rau AG
Dr. Silvia Roth
Tel.: +49 (0) 3723/6685-333
E-mail: investor@roth-rau.de

Haubrok Investor Relations GmbH & Co. KG
Simone Cujai
Tel.: +49 (0) 211/171835-37
E-mail: s.cujai@haubrok.de


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Language: English Company: Roth & Rau AG An der Baumschule 6-8 09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal Deutschland Phone: 03723 6685-0 Fax: 03723 6685-100 E-mail: info@roth-rau.de Internet: www.roth-rau.de ISIN: DE000A0JCZ51 WKN: A0JCZ5 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart  
 
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