BNS Industrier extends the acceptance period for the offers to the shareholders of Aarhus United and Karlshamns

Not for release in or distribution into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The Offers are not being made to shareholders whose participation in the Offers requires an offer document, registrations or measures other than those required by Swedish or Danish law, respectively.

In connection with BNS Industrier AB’s public offers to the shareholders of Karlshamns AB and Aarhus United A/S, necessary applications was filed with the competition authorities in Sweden, Germany, Norway, Poland, USA and Mexico in order to obtain permission to carry out the transaction. The transaction is, however, not dependent on clearance from the European Commission. Clearance has so for been granted by the competition authorities in Germany and Norway. In Mexico, the U.S. and Poland a decision has not yet been made. The competition authority in Sweden (Konkurrensverket) have communicated that it has not been possible for them to grant permission with regard to the transaction within the initial 25 days period. BNS Industrier will now continue the dialogue with Konkurrensverket and present complementary information as well as answering questions in order to prepare a complete documentation ahead of Konkurrensverket’s decision. Consequently, BNS Industrier has decided to extend the acceptance period for the offers up to September 20, 2005 1). Provided that no further extension of the acceptance period is made as a result of the Swedish competition authorities’ investigation, and that BNS Industrier no later than September 26, 2005 has announced that the conditions for the consummation of the offers have been fulfilled, or that BNS Industrier announces that it has decided to waive any or all of those conditions, settlement will begin on September 29, 2005. Apart from the above, the terms and conditions as stated in the prospectuses prevail. ”We have all the time in our planning been aware of the fact that the competition authorities, in line with current legislation, could investigate the prerequisites for the merger. It is nothing that has worried us. It was, however, unfortunate that we had to file our applications during the middle of the holiday season in Europe. On the positive side is, however, that the German and Norwegian competition authorities already have analysed the situation and have seen no obstacles”, says Mikael Ekdahl, board member in BNS Industrier AB. For further information please contact: Mikael Ekdahl, BNS Industrier AB, +46-709-77 72 03 1) 15.00 Swedish time for acceptance of the offer for Karlshamns AB and 20.00 Danish time for acceptance of the offer for Aarhus United A/S.