Atlas Copco to acquire company in healthcare sector

Stockholm, Sweden, June 26, 2006: Atlas Copco North America Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire Beacon Holdings Corporation (parent company to BeaconMedaes and Medaes), United States, from The Riverside Company. The BeaconMedaes group is a solutions provider, predominantly of medical air systems and medical utility delivery systems for hospitals.

In 2005 revenues were approx. MSEK 720 (MEUR 77) and the operating profit margin approx. 7%. The purchase price is MSEK 700 (MEUR 75), to be paid in cash. The completion date of the acquisition is dependent upon the receipt of the required approval from the U.S. anti-trust authority. The BeaconMedaes group is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the United States and has 386 employees. The company has assembly facilities and a strong presence in both the United States and Great Britain. It is a world-leading supplier of medical air equipment, including medical air compressors, vacuum systems and pipeline components. Its products, for example, supply breathing air for hospitals and compressed air to drive surgical tools. See also www.beaconmedaes.com. “This acquisition supports Atlas Copco’s strategy of extending our offering into certain identified specialized markets. With BeaconMedaes, we will be able to provide medical air solutions to end customers in the growing healthcare market,” says Bengt Kvarnbäck, Business Area President, Atlas Copco Compressor Technique. The medical air market is a growing segment worldwide and has an aftermarket business with a good potential. Currently Atlas Copco supplies a range of air compressors, dryers and filters to the medical sector. This acquisition of BeaconMedaes will add value to end users by making Atlas Copco, with its global market coverage, a single source solutions provider for medical air products, pipeline components and services. After completion of the acquisition, BeaconMedaes in Charlotte will become Atlas Copco’s competence center for medical air and medical utility delivery systems. The business will become part of Atlas Copco Compressor Technique’s Industrial Air division and the products will be sold under the brand names Atlas Copco, Medaes and BeaconMedaes.