DGAP-News: ARQUES sells four subsidiaries in portfolio transaction

ARQUES Industries AG / Disposal

22.01.2009 

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARQUES sells four subsidiaries in portfolio transaction 

- Sale of subsidiaries ddp, Evotape, Rohner and the BEA group of companies
- Transaction volume of approximately EUR 30 million

Starnberg, January 22, 2009 – Despite the extremely difficult market
environment, ARQUES Industries AG (ISIN DE0005156004) succeeded in selling
its shares in the subsidiaries ddp, Evotape, Rohner and the BEA group of
companies in a package deal to the private equity company, BluO, within the
context of a extensive sales process. This is the first secondary
transaction in the history of ARQUES Industries AG. With a transaction
volume of approximately EUR 30 million, ARQUES will generate a cash inflow
of EUR 20 million. Signing and closing of the transaction took place today.

All of the companies were acquired in the past for a small symbolic
purchase price. This transaction is a success for ARQUES in view of the
extremely difficult market environment. The subsidiaries sold were
fundamentally restructured by ARQUES. In accordance with the ARQUES
business model, the sale of these subsidiaries was initiated directly after
their reorganisation has been completed.

The BEA group of companies has belonged to the ARQUES Group since 2006
rather 2007. The company develops and installs electrical and automation
systems for materials handling and energy technology and is a leading
technical service provider and supplier specializing in the area of
electric systems engineering and infrastructure. ARQUES combined the
activities into the BEA group of companies enabling substantial synergies,
for example within the purchase and IT divisions. In addition, sales were
strengthened and the market position developed by way of coordinated
operational and strategic procedures.

ddp Deutscher Depeschendienst is one of the first subsidiaries acquired by
ARQUES and is the second largest German press agency. After the takeover in
2005, ARQUES succeeded to operate the company on a profitable basis for the
first time in 30 years. The press agency’s growth rate of more than 12%
annually over the past three years was far higher than that of the media
market altogether.

Evotape, based in Italy and acquired in June 2005, is an industrial
manufacturer of packaging and adhesive tapes. ARQUES separated the
company’s two locations operationally, substantially increased the
productivity of both plants and simultaneously optimized cost structures.

Rohner, a chemicals company based in Switzerland, has been part of the
ARQUES investment portfolio since March 2006. The previous owner of Rohner
had already announced the shutdown of production. Under the management of
ARQUES Industries AG, Rohner was already operating profitably after less
than 18 months and is now on a sustainable growth course.

BluO is a private equity company founded by former members of the ARQUES
Industries Executive Board.

About ARQUES:
ARQUES Industries AG, Starnberg, (www.arques.de), is a business partner of
conglomerates regarding company spin-offs and a turnaround specialist who
focuses on the acquisition and the active restructuring of companies in
transitional situations, in order to develop these, with its own team and
own resources, to competitive enterprises with a positive yield. ARQUES
revitalises its subsidiaries' potential for creating value for the benefit
of all its stakeholders, taking on the relevant social responsibility. The
shares of ARQUES Industries AG are traded in the regulated market (Prime
Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'AQU' (ISIN:
DE0005156004) and are listed in the SDAX.

Contact: 
ARQUES Industries AG
Corporate Communication 
Christian Schneider
Email: schneider@arques.de
Tel.: +49 (0) 8151/ 651 0
DGAP 22.01.2009 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Language:     English
Issuer:       ARQUES Industries AG
              Münchner Str. 15a
              82319 Starnberg
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)8151 651-0
Fax:          +49 (0)8151 651- 500
E-mail:       schneider@arques.de
Internet:     www.arques.de
ISIN:         DE0005156004
WKN:          515600
Indices:      SDAX
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
---------------------------------------------------------------------------