Telesteps wins patent dispute

Telesteps wins patent dispute

Telesteps, a subsidiary of Gunnebo Industrier, has won a protracted patent
dispute with Core Distribution. The European Patent Office has upheld
Telesteps's patent for its telescopic ladder.

Telesteps, a subsidiary of Gunnebo Industrier and the innovator and world leader
in telescopic ladders, has just won a patent dispute with Core Distribution. In
December 2005, Core Distribution objected to Telesteps's European patent and
requested that it be rescinded. The basis of the objection was the claim that
the invention was not new and that it lacked inventiveness.

After a protracted process, the European Patent Office has upheld Telesteps's
patent.

“We are very pleased to have won this protracted patent dispute,” says Jonas
Netterström, head of the Telescopics business unit and CEO of Telesteps. “We are
proud of our invention of telescopic work tools, and the ruling confirms that we
are a serious player with our patented and certified products.”

The European Patent Office announced its ruling at the close of litigation. A
written ruling will be released within a few weeks. After that, the ruling may
be appealed against within two months.



For additional information, feel free to contact:

Christer Lenner, CEO and President, Gunnebo Industrier AB
+46 705 91 03 05, christer.lenner@gunneboindustries.com

Jonas Netterström, Head of Telescopics business unit and CEO of Telesteps
+46 708 16 01 80, jonas.netterstrom@telesteps.se

Tobias Bülow, Director of Group Communications, Gunnebo Industrier AB
+46 703 38 93 10, tobias.bulow@gunneboindustries.com

Telesteps AB, which is part of the Telescopic business unit of GunneboIndustrier AB, develops and markets products that expand from small to large
formats either telescopically or in some other simple manner. Telesteps is an
innovative, flexible ladder designed and developed in a minimalist tradition to
be as simple and efficient as possible. It is an optimum aid for service
engineers and assemblers, not to mention making everyday life easier for private
consumers. Telesteps's head office is in Tranås, Sweden, and its products are
sold in Australia, Europe and Russia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other Asian
countries. For additional information, see www.telesteps.se.

Gunnebo Industrier AB is an international group of industrial companies that is
active in 15 countries and has around 50 major distributors/agents worldwide.
The group is engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of chain and
lifting components, fastening systems for the building industry, blocks/systems
for heavy lifting, non-skid products and telescopic ladders. The business is
conducted through the Fastening, Lifting and Technical Products (which comprises
the Blocks, Non Skid and Telescopics business units) business areas. Gunnebo
Industrier markets well-known products in established segments, and is the
leader in each product and/or market area. Annual sales amount to more than SEK
2 billion, and the group has around 1,400 employees. For additional information,
see www.gunneboindustries.com.