EFFECTS OF GETINGE'S ACQUISITION OF HUNTLEIGH


EFFECTS OF GETINGE'S ACQUISITION OF HUNTLEIGH

As announced earlier, Getinge's intention with this press release is to further
specify the financial and operational effects of the Huntleigh acquisition that
was completed during January 2007.

Through the acquisition of Huntleigh, which is being integrated with Getinge's
Extended Care business area, a leading global player is being created for
products and services for the care of people with reduced mobility and the
medical conditions connected with this. The merged operations will have sales in
excess of SEK 6 billion for the current year and will employ about 4,400 persons
globally at some 60 operative units. The acquisition of Huntleigh was primarily
undertaken to provide Extended Care with a new platform for long-term growth,
but also as a step in strengthening efficiency and competitiveness.

SALES SYNERGIES
Huntleigh and Extended Care are two highly complementary operations in terms of
customer orientation, product offering and geographic coverage. Historically,
Huntleigh has its customer base in hospital care, while Extended Care's
customers are within care for the elderly. Huntleigh's products are primarily
aimed at wound care and stimulation of the body's natural blood circulation,
while Extended Care's focus has been on the transfer and hygiene of patients. As
an effect of the favourable complementary characteristics, the business area
anticipates long-term sales synergies, in which Huntleigh's product program can
be marketed to Extended Care's existing customers in elderly care and Extended
Care's products can have a more rapid impact in hospitals.
Sales synergies that are assessed as long-term are expected to have a positive
impact on operations from mid-2008 and onward and will ensure growth in line
with Extended Care's ambitions for organic growth of 7% per year.

COST AND EFFICIENCY SYNERGIES
In terms of cost and efficiency synergies between Extended Care and Huntleigh,
the effects are expected to become apparent already this year. Cost synergies
are mainly found in three areas: the head office function, the market
organisation and the supply chain area.

Head office function
Since Huntleigh is making the transition from a public company in the UK to an
integrated part of the Extended Care business area, there is no longer a need
for a separate head office for Huntleigh. Accordingly, closure of the head
office in Luton was initiated and completed during the first quarter of the
year.

Market organisation
Since 1 March this year, Huntleigh and Extended Care's market organisations have
been organised in a common, global structure. The new market organisation
entails five geographic regions containing Extended Care and Huntleigh's
operations within the territory. In addition, each country, with one exception,
will have a country manager, who will head Extended Care and Huntleigh's
operations in the country. During the next two years, regional and country
managers will be responsible for securing synergies in sales, service and
administration, and infrastructure in an optimal manner.

Supply-chain optimisation
In terms of the supply chain area, it is assessed that Huntleigh, similar to
Extended Care, will be able to implement considerable efficiency enhancement of
its operations by utilising the purchasing and production opportunities offered
by China and the recently completed production unit in Poznan, in Poland.
Extended Care and Huntleigh's purchasing are similar in several areas. Regarding
storage and logistics, there are favourable possibilities for creating a better
and more efficient structure through the merger that will affect both the cost
structure and tied-up capital. Since 1 March, there is a joint supply chain
organisation for Extended Care.

FINANCIAL EFFECTS
Getinge announced earlier that the acquisition of Huntleigh will not change the
financial objectives established for the Extended Care business area and which
entail that Extended Care is expected to grow organically by about 7% on average
and is expected to have an EBITA margin exceeding 19%. These financial targets
are expected to be met in 2009.

The margin expansion is mainly a consequence of greater efficiency resulting
from the activities mentioned above and which are expected to generate more than
SEK 300 million in annual cost synergies as of 2009/2010. Cost synergies for the
current year are expected to amount to between SEK 50 and 60 million, to
subsequently increase to about SEK 200 million in 2008 and SEK 300 million in
2009/2010.
In the next three-year period, the restructuring costs are expected to amount to
about SEK 400 million, of which as much as SEK 250 million could be charged to
the current year. The remaining restructuring costs will mainly be charged to
2008. Restructuring costs amounted to SEK 50 million for the first quarter of
the year.
Sales synergies are not expected to have any effect on the current year, but
will first become apparent as of 2008.
A thorough analysis of the acquisition-related surplus values resulting form the
acquisition of Huntleigh entail that the Group's amortisation will increase by
about SEK 120 million per year. In addition, the acquisition of Huntleigh
entails that the Group's net financial items will increase by about SEK 290
million for the current year (11 months).

EFFECTS OF EARNINGS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR
The Getinge Group anticipates that, during its first year of operation,
Huntleigh will make a positive contribution to pretax earnings, excluding
restructuring costs, but including amortisation of acquisition-related surplus
values and financing costs. Huntleigh is consolidated within the Getinge Group
as of 1 February. 

REVIEW BY THE UK COMPETITION AUTHORITY
As is customary and was announced earlier, the merger of Huntleigh and Extended
Care has been the subject of review by the relevant competition authorities in
several countries. To date, Extended Care has received approval from all bodies
outside the UK, where the review is still in progress. Any synergies described
above could be affected depending on the length of time it takes to gain
approval in the UK and what the final decision is by the UK competition
authority.

EFFECTS OF GETINGE'S ACQUISITION OF HUNTLEIGH 

As announced earlier, Getinge's intention with this press release is to further
specify the financial and operational effects of the Huntleigh acquisition that
was completed during January 2007.

Through the acquisition of Huntleigh, which is being integrated with Getinge's
Extended Care business area, a leading global player is being created for
products and services for the care of people with reduced mobility and the
medical conditions connected with this. The merged operations will have sales in
excess of SEK 6 billion for the current year and will employ about 4,400 persons
globally at some 60 operative units. The acquisition of Huntleigh was primarily
undertaken to provide Extended Care with a new platform for long-term growth,
but also as a step in strengthening efficiency and competitiveness.

SALES SYNERGIES
Huntleigh and Extended Care are two highly complementary operations in terms of
customer orientation, product offering and geographic coverage. Historically,
Huntleigh has its customer base in hospital care, while Extended Care's
customers are within care for the elderly. Huntleigh's products are primarily
aimed at wound care and stimulation of the body's natural blood circulation,
while Extended Care's focus has been on the transfer and hygiene of patients. As
an effect of the favourable complementary characteristics, the business area
anticipates long-term sales synergies, in which Huntleigh's product program can
be marketed to Extended Care's existing customers in elderly care and Extended
Care's products can have a more rapid impact in hospitals.
Sales synergies that are assessed as long-term are expected to have a positive
impact on operations from mid-2008 and onward and will ensure growth in line
with Extended Care's ambitions for organic growth of 7% per year.

COST AND EFFICIENCY SYNERGIES
In terms of cost and efficiency synergies between Extended Care and Huntleigh,
the effects are expected to become apparent already this year. Cost synergies
are mainly found in three areas: the head office function, the market
organisation and the supply chain area.

Head office function
Since Huntleigh is making the transition from a public company in the UK to an
integrated part of the Extended Care business area, there is no longer a need
for a separate head office for Huntleigh. Accordingly, closure of the head
office in Luton was initiated and completed during the first quarter of the
year.

Market organisation
Since 1 March this year, Huntleigh and Extended Care's market organisations have
been organised in a common, global structure. The new market organisation
entails five geographic regions containing Extended Care and Huntleigh's
operations within the territory. In addition, each country, with one exception,
will have a country manager, who will head Extended Care and Huntleigh's
operations in the country. During the next two years, regional and country
managers will be responsible for securing synergies in sales, service and
administration, and infrastructure in an optimal manner.

Supply-chain optimisation
In terms of the supply chain area, it is assessed that Huntleigh, similar to
Extended Care, will be able to implement considerable efficiency enhancement of
its operations by utilising the purchasing and production opportunities offered
by China and the recently completed production unit in Poznan, in Poland.
Extended Care and Huntleigh's purchasing are similar in several areas. Regarding
storage and logistics, there are favourable possibilities for creating a better
and more efficient structure through the merger that will affect both the cost
structure and tied-up capital. Since 1 March, there is a joint supply chain
organisation for Extended Care.

FINANCIAL EFFECTS
Getinge announced earlier that the acquisition of Huntleigh will not change the
financial objectives established for the Extended Care business area and which
entail that Extended Care is expected to grow organically by about 7% on average
and is expected to have an EBITA margin exceeding 19%. These financial targets
are expected to be met in 2009.

The margin expansion is mainly a consequence of greater efficiency resulting
from the activities mentioned above and which are expected to generate more than
SEK 300 million in annual cost synergies as of 2009/2010. Cost synergies for the
current year are expected to amount to between SEK 50 and 60 million, to
subsequently increase to about SEK 200 million in 2008 and SEK 300 million in
2009/2010.
In the next three-year period, the restructuring costs are expected to amount to
about SEK 400 million, of which as much as SEK 250 million could be charged to
the current year. The remaining restructuring costs will mainly be charged to
2008. Restructuring costs amounted to SEK 50 million for the first quarter of
the year.
Sales synergies are not expected to have any effect on the current year, but
will first become apparent as of 2008.
A thorough analysis of the acquisition-related surplus values resulting form the
acquisition of Huntleigh entail that the Group's amortisation will increase by
about SEK 120 million per year. In addition, the acquisition of Huntleigh
entails that the Group's net financial items will increase by about SEK 290
million for the current year (11 months).

EFFECTS OF EARNINGS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR
The Getinge Group anticipates that, during its first year of operation,
Huntleigh will make a positive contribution to pretax earnings, excluding
restructuring costs, but including amortisation of acquisition-related surplus
values and financing costs. Huntleigh is consolidated within the Getinge Group
as of 1 February. 

REVIEW BY THE UK COMPETITION AUTHORITY
As is customary and was announced earlier, the merger of Huntleigh and Extended
Care has been the subject of review by the relevant competition authorities in
several countries. To date, Extended Care has received approval from all bodies
outside the UK, where the review is still in progress. Any synergies described
above could be affected depending on the length of time it takes to gain
approval in the UK and what the final decision is by the UK competition
authority.


For further information, please contact:
Johan Malmquist, President or Ulf Grunander, CFO

Getinge 12th April 2007 


Johan Malmquist
President

For further information, please contact:
Johan Malmquist, President or Ulf Grunander, CFO

Getinge 12th April 2007 


Johan Malmquist
President

Attachments

04122030.pdf
GlobeNewswire