DGAP-Adhoc: Roth & Rau takes over specialist software

Roth & Rau AG / Acquisition

09.06.2008 

Release of a Adhoc News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Roth & Rau takes over specialist software provider AIS Automation Dresden
GmbH

Hohenstein-Ernstthal, 9 June 2008  Roth & Rau AG takes over 100 % of the
shares in AIS Automation Dresden GmbH (Dresden, Germany). AIS operates as a
system and software provider in the field of automation and information
technology for the photovoltaics and semiconductor sectors. The company
supplies machine and plant control systems, production and process
automation systems, and the customised development of system and user
software. By making this acquisition, Roth & Rau has secured access to key
software components for its plant and turnkey production lines and has
extended its own share of the value chain in the production of crystalline
silicon solar cells.

Roth & Rau is acquiring the shares from the managing partners and founders
of AIS, who will continue to manage the companys operating business in
future as well. The parties have agreed to maintain confidentiality
concerning the purchase price. In the 2007 financial year, AIS generated
sales of around EUR 9.4 million. Roth & Rau AG will include AIS Automation
Dresden GmbH in its scope of consolidation retrospectively as of 1 January
2008.

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Information and Explaination of the Issuer to this News:

'The takeover of AIS will enable us to offer a standardised software
solution across the entire turnkey production line. It therefore provide us
with a decisive competitive advantage,' commented Dr. Dietmar Roth, CEO of
Roth & Rau AG. 'Furthermore, this additional feature means that we have
extended our share of the value chain in the production of crystalline
silicon solar cells.' Carsten Bovenschen, CFO, added that 'one of our
declared aims for the current financial year is to improve our
profitability. The increasing standardisation of our plant and production
lines, which will be further promoted by the takeover of AIS, will play a
crucial role in this respect.'

'We have worked closely together with Roth & Rau AG for many years now.
Intensifying this cooperation by pooling the two companies extensive
expertise will provide a basis for the ongoing enhancement of our products
for the solar industry. This will enable us to meet customers requirements
even more closely in future', commented Rainer Strauss, one of the founders
and managing directors of AIS Automation Dresden GmbH.


About Roth & Rau AG:
Roth & Rau AG based in Hohenstein-Ernstthal (ISIN DE000A0JCZ51) is by
market share one of the worlds leading suppliers of plasma process systems
for the photovoltaics industry. Furthermore Roth & Rau supplies components
and process systems based on plasma and ion beam technology for other
sectors. Developed by Roth & Rau, these products are manufactured and
distributed worldwide through the companys photovoltaic and plasma and ion
beam technology divisions. In fiscal year 2007 Roth & Rau achieved
according to IFRS an EBIT of Euro 14 million on sales of Euro 146 million,
employing an average of 190 people. Roth & Raus photovoltaic division
focuses on providing antireflective coating facilities as well as fully
automated manufacturing lines (turnkey production lines) for the production
of crystalline silicon solar cells. Another focus is on the production of
equipment for the coating of thin film solar modules. The plasma and ion
beam technology division, which accounted for 6 percent of total sales in
the financial year 2007, produces plasma sources and ion beam sources as
well as process systems for plasma and ion beam enhanced thin film and
surface processing methods. Customers served by this division include, in
particular, companies in the semiconductor and automotive industries, R&D
departments in various industries including photovoltaics as well as
research institutes and universities.


Kontakt:
Haubrok Investor Relations GmbH
Simone Gorny
Kaistraße 16
40221 Düsseldorf
Tel.: +49 (0) 211/30126-130
Fax: +49 (0)211/30126-5130
E-Mail: s.gorny@haubrok.de




DGAP 09.06.2008 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       Roth & Rau AG
              An der Baumschule 6-8
              09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal
              Deutschland
Phone:        03723 6685-0
Fax:          03723 6685-100
E-mail:       info@roth-rau.de
Internet:     www.roth-rau.de
ISIN:         DE000A0JCZ51
WKN:          A0JCZ5
Indices:      TecDAX
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Stuttgart, München, Düsseldorf
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
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DGAP-Adhoc: Roth & Rau takes over specialist software provider AIS Automation Dresden GmbH
