Krefeld/Düsseldorf, May 04, 2010 - G. Siempelkamp GmbH & Co. KG, a medium-sized internationally operating technology supplier headquartered in Krefeld, has recorded the second-best business result in the 127 year history of the company in 2009. The Group's turnover amounted to 555 million Euros. All national and international production sites are used to full capacity into the year 2011.

The Group which consists of three business units, the machinery and plant engineering, the foundry, and the nuclear technology business units, is the global market leader for continuous press lines for the wood-based products industry. The business results for all three fields of activity have been positive in 2009. Though the total order value of 329.8 million Euros was clearly below the results of the record years 2007 and 2008, "the total turnover of 555 million Euros and an EBITDA margin of 8 percent let us be very satisfied with the results for the economic crisis year 2009," says Dr. Hans W. Fechner, CEO of G. Siempelkamp GmbH & Co. KG.

"The company figures for 2009 confirm our forecast from the last year: Siempelkamp braves the economic crisis and makes consistent use of opportunities. We will be used to full capacity again in 2010 and continue to be in the black," declares Dr. Fechner and adds: "Meanwhile the project situation is improving and the order quantity is increasing. We are profiting from our export opportunities in the growth markets of the world - China, South America and Russia."

Continuation of worldwide expansions and investments in the Krefeld location

In the previous business year, Siempelkamp made use of opportunities to expand nationally as well as internationally in a targeted way by acquiring companies and by expanding available production capacities. Taking effect on January 1, 2010, the acquisition of a majority stake in CMC Texpan, a specialist for wood processing based in Colzate, Italy, was announced in December 2009. Already in January of 2009, the Krefeld-based family business had integrated the East Frisian specialty crane builder E&W into the Group. The Hombak Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH, a manufacturer of flaking machines based in Bad Kreuznach was acquired by Siempelkamp in June 2009. In the scope of an investment program stretching over several years, another construction stage in expanding the production capacities in Krefeld could be completed. The next construction stage with a cost in the two-digit million range commenced in the beginning of 2010.

Starting in 2010 new products will complement the range of services in the area of renewable energy

The Siempelkamp Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG alone recorded new orders in the amount of 200 million Euros in 2009. These orders include four large wood-processing lines with ContiRoll technology and four custom-developed 4 ft ContiRoll press lines for China. In the beginning of 2010 Siempelkamp expanded the range of products for the generation of renewable energy with turnkey biomass combined heat and power plants. These systems have a firing capacity of up to 60 Megawatt (MW) and generate an electrical output of up to 10 MW. They are based on the technology of 50 installed energy plants for the generation of process heat, steam, hot water and electricity which are part of complete wood-processing plants. With the company-owned foundry in Krefeld, Siempelkamp is a leading supplier for the national wind power industry and a global leader in the production of castings with weights of up to 300 t (330 US tons). The scope of supply in the nuclear technology business unit ranges from components for the equipping and re-fitting to the dismantling and decommissioning of complete nuclear power plants.

Dr. Hans W. Fechner: "Based on our broad know-how in all areas of wood processing, we have decided to make biomass power plants an independent product. In this way, we further intensify our presence in the future market for renewable energy. We will continue our successful diversification strategy along our core competences in special machine engineering as well as nuclear and foundry technology with innovative products and services for the area of energy generation based on renewable energy sources."