ASPOCOMP GROUP OYJ STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE June, 3 2005 at 8:00 AM 1(2)ASPOCOMP INCREASES ITS HOLDING IN P.C.B. CENTER TO 75 PERCENT
Aspocomp Group Oyj is increasing its stake in its Thai subsidiary P.C.B. Center
Co., Ltd to 75 percent (previously 51%) by purchasing 24 percent of P.C.B.
Center’s shares from the company’s minority shareholders. The purchase price has
been agreed at EUR 3 million. The company’s second-largest owner, Saha Group
(www.sahagroup.thailand.com), will stay on as the company’s other main
shareholder.The deal that has now been consummated is part of Aspocomp’s growth strategy.
Under this strategy, the company will bolster its position in printed circuit
boards for handheld devices and the telecom and automotive industries. In the
fall of 2004, Aspocomp unveiled its strategy of seeking to significantly outpace
market growth in the PCB and module industry in the medium term. The company’s
growth and development projects are geared towards improving its profitability
and return on equity while maintaining a sufficiently robust financial position.“The transaction further consolidates our position in Asia and it is expected to
have a slightly positive effect on our earnings per share in the present year.
We are committed to developing the technological caliber of P.C.B. Center by
means of targeted and cost-effective investments. Both the planned technology
improvements and the streamlining of the ownership structure that has now been
carried out improve our ability to provide high-tech PCB services flexibly to
our global customers,” says Maija-Liisa Friman, President and CEO of Aspocomp.Aspocomp’s other major development project in Asia was unveiled earlier in the
spring. Aspocomp’s Chinese subsidiary ACP Electronics will build a new
production unit at its Suzhou plant. The unit will specialize in PCBs for the
telecom and automotive industries and is slated to go on stream in the summer of
2006.P.C.B. Center (www.pcbc.co.th) is the fourth-largest manufacturer of PCBs in
Thailand. Its plant operates in line with the QS-9000, ISO 9002, and ISO 14001
quality systems. The plant has a production capacity of 250,000 m2 and it
manufactures double-sided and multilayer PCBs for telecom, industrial
automation, and automotive electronics applications. The company’s customers
include Continental Temic, Honeywell and Nokia.P.C.B. Center racked up net sales of EUR 25.6 million in 2004 and its net result
was in the black. Aspocomp became a shareholder in P.C.B. Center in February
2000. Aspocomp increased its holding in the company to 51 percent in March 2001.For further information, please contact CEO Maija-Liisa Friman,
tel. +358 9 7597 0711.ASPOCOMP GROUP OYJ
Maija-Liisa Friman
President and CEO2(2)
Aspocomp: Innovative interconnection solutions for the electronics industryThe Aspocomp Group offers and develops innovative interconnection solutions for
the electronics industry in close cooperation with its customers. We hold a
strong and recognised position as a supplier of mobile data terminal equipment
components and we aim to further strengthen our position as a supplier to the
automotive industry and data communications networks. We offer our global
customers a fast road to mass production through flexible and cost-effective
adaptation of new technologies, to which our balanced production structure in
Europe and Asia is well adapted.We strive to offer solutions to our customers that enable increased flexibility
in their own product development. Our belief is that this advantage will bear
increasing significance for our customers as end product lifecycles continue to
shorten.The Aspocomp Group’s production facilities are located close to its customers in
Finland, China and Thailand. In 2004 Group turnover stood at around 200 million
euros with a staff of some 3,500.Distribution:
The Helsinki Stock Exchange
Major Media
www.aspocomp.com