PlasmaSelect AG / Joint Venture
30.04.2009
Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Munich, 30 April 09 - PlasmaSelect AG today announced the conclusion of a
joint venture agreement by its associated company Aquaworx AG that will
have a significantly positive impact on the results of the holding company.
A joint venture agreement to this effect was signed today with Aalborg
Industries A/S (Denmark). The joint venture is calculated to bring Aquaworx
net profits of EUR 180 million by the year 2020, made up of agreed
royalties on sales (approx. EUR 110 million) and profit-sharing (approx.
EUR 70 million). The contractual partner of Aquaworx AG, a developer of
innovative disinfection and filtration treatments for water and liquids, is
Aalborg Industries Group (2,700 employees; 2008 sales: EUR 452.5 million),
a leading provider of steam, thermal and safety solutions for marine and
maritime oil and gas applications. The joint venture will be headquartered
in Singapore and will receive the exclusive distribution rights for the
platform technology developed by Aquaworx AG for ballast water treatment in
the nautical sector. Aquaworx AG will hold 40% of shares in the joint
venture and Aalborg Industries Group the remaining 60%. In compensation for
its development costs, Aquaworx will receive graduated advance payments of
EUR 2 million. The revenues given are based on a business plan which forms
a constituent part of the joint venture agreement. The global ballast water
treatment market has an estimated volume of EUR 21 billion.
Holding companies pursue expansion - Re-orientation as industrial holding
successful
'We congratulate the management of Aquaworx AG on concluding what is the
most important agreement in the company's short history to date', stated
Bernhard Giessel, CEO of PlasmaSelect AG. 'The joint venture with Aalborg
Industries marks an outstanding milestone for PlasmaSelect AG and its
investment subsidiary. Our strategic decision to invest in Aquaworx has
been confirmed by the interest shown by international industrial
corporations in the technology developed by Aquaworx and the decision to
join forces with Aalborg Industries in founding a joint venture for global
sales of ballast water treatment plants. With our systematic restructuring
of PlasmaSelect as an industrial holding company and its repositioning with
an attractive portfolio of investments in the healthcare and water
treatment sectors, we are more than convinced of our potential for
long-term growth and sustainable profits.'
'The joint venture has now opened up the world market for ballast water
treatment systems to us, which we will develop through our strong global
presence', commented Jan Vestergaard, President and CEO of the Aalborg
Industries Group. 'The AquaTriComb platform is perfectly suited to all
types of ships - from luxury cruise liners such as Queen Mary II, to top
class tankers. We firmly believe that we will be able to attain a worldwide
market share of 30% in ballast water treatment. The new joint venture has
given us the necessary structures and conditions.'
'The Aalborg Industries Group is the perfect partner for Aquaworx',
explained Peter Falk, managing director of Aquaworx Deutschland GmbH. 'The
group is one of the leading global suppliers of highly complex and tailored
solutions for container ships, tankers, bulk cargo transporters, cruise
liners, RORO and car transporters. The strong international presence of
Aalborg, combined with Aquaworx's leading technology platform, will ensure
that the new joint venture will soon become established as one of the
leading global players in a multi-billion euro market.' Aquaworx, in
combination with Aalborg Industries, will clearly distinguish itself from
its numerous international competitors.
For ballast water treatment, Aquaworx AG relies on a technology that is
based on a combination of UV radiation and ultrasound within one system.
The technology eliminates germs and inhibits their reproduction.
AquaTriCombTM (ATC) works without the use or generation of chemicals.
Compared with other methods, energy requirements are relatively low. Thanks
to the use of ultrasound, the system cleans itself and requires virtually
no maintenance. In accordance with the worldwide specifications of the IMO,
ballast water treatment systems such as AquaTriCombTM are making an
important contribution to the preservation of our oceans by preventing the
advancing 'global transport' of organisms and microorganisms to
environments where they don't belong: ballast water will be filtered and
disinfected in accordance with strict standards as it is ballasted.
According to estimates, some 50,000 ocean-going ships currently transport
around 12 billion tons of ballast water per year worldwide while at the
same time transporting thousands of species (organisms such as plankton,
shellfish, mussels etc.) as 'stowaways'. The effects of this so-called
microbe tourism on different ecosystems are quite unpredictable.
'Green technology' works entirely without chemicals and residue
AquaTriCombTM works without leaving residues: even the plant's filtrate is
disinfected without the use of chemicals. The CIP method (cleaning in
place) prevents contamination even during downtime. The ATC plants are in
operation both when the ballast water is ballasted and deballasted, and
contain no mechanical elements whatsoever. Given the small amount of space
required by the Aquaworx ATC systems and their modular design, the systems
are also ideally suited for refitting into existing ships.
The system's high efficiency and low operating costs, as well as the small
amount of space required for installation on board, are also impressive.
Given the use of ultrasound, the plant components are self-cleaning and
therefore generally low-maintenance, another factor that lowers overall
operating costs. Another special feature of the Aquaworx solution is the
fact that the water passes through the system again during deballasting.
This efficiently eliminates any germs and bacteria that are in the ships'
inaccessible ballast water tanks and drains. The only water to return to
the ocean is thus disinfected water treated in accordance with the legal
requirements.
About the Aalborg Industries Group
Aalborg Industries, Aalborg, Denmark, is a group of companies operating
around the globe, with subsidiaries in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands,
Dubai, Singapore, Japan, China, Korea, Brazil, Vietnam, Australia, and the
USA. Additionally, a network of partners supports the group's sales
activities. The revenue outside Denmark accounts for 95% of the total
revenue. In 2008, Aalborg Industries generated revenue amounting to DKK
3.371 million and EBITDA of DKK 476 million.
Apart from the group's own production plants in Denmark, China, Brazil, and
Vietnam, Aalborg Industries cooperates with external manufacturers. In
2008, the group had some 2,700 employees worldwide.
The core business of Aalborg Industries involves the development and
manufacturing of steam, heat, and safety solutions for marine oil and gas
applications, which includes steam boilers, boilers for hot exhaust gases,
thermal oil heaters, burners, control systems, heat exchangers, and inert
systems. In addition to the activities in global marine and offshore
markets, Aalborg Industries supplies boilers and industries to
mainland-based industries.
Further information about Aalborg Industries is available at
www.aalborg-industries.com.
About Aquaworx
Aquaworx AG, headquartered in Arbon, Switzerland, is a subsidiary of
PlasmaSelect AG, Munich, Germany. By means of the development and
production of water and fluid disinfection and filtration technologies
(patent pending) at the Marina Horn plant on Lake Constance, Switzerland,
the company makes a substantial contribution to efficient resource
management. The platform technology's method of operation is based on the
brilliant combination of UV radiation and ultrasound into one system, which
efficiently eliminates germs and prevents their reproduction. The Aquaworx
product family combines continuous high performance with a level of
efficiency previously unknown in the branch. The primary application areas
in the field of water and filtration include drinking water and wastewater
treatment, filtration of fluids, ballast water treatment in the nautical
sector, treatment of pool, drinking, and process water in summer residences
and Legionella prevention in nursing homes, hospitals, and hotel
facilities. Global sales are handled by Munich-based Aquaworx Deutschland
GmbH.
Further information is available at www.aquaworx.de.
About PlasmaSelect AG
Founded in 1998 as a specialist in the sale of infusion and irrigation
solutions and complementary medical products, today PlasmaSelect AG is an
innovative investment holding company on the healthcare and new
technologies market. The holding comprises four operating subsidiaries with
a total of almost 200 staff worldwide. In fiscal 2008 (as of 30 November
2008) the company reported consolidated sales of EUR 34 million.
PlasmaSelect AG is listed on the Regulated Market (Prime Standard) of the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange (securities ID 547 180). For more information
please see
www.plasmaselect.de
DGAP 30.04.2009
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Language: English
Issuer: PlasmaSelect AG
Bernhard-Wicki-Str. 5
80636 München
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)89 810 29-0
Fax: +49 (0)89 810 29-111
E-mail: mail@plasmaselect.de
Internet: www.PlasmaSelect.de
ISIN: DE0005471809
WKN: 547180
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Stuttgart, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf
End of News DGAP News-Service
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DGAP-News: Associated company of PlasmaSelect AG announces conclusion of groundbreaking agreement with profits of up to EUR 180 million forecast by the year 2020
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