Press Release

The Board has resolved to utilise the authorisation received from the Annual General Meeting to acquire a maximum number of shares such that the company's holding of its own shares at any time is equal to a maximum of 10 per cent of the shares in the company, in the period until the next Annual General Meeting. At present, the company does not hold any of its own shares. Acquisitions will be effected via OM Stockholm Exchange; payment for shares acquired in this manner will be at the share price prevailing at the time of acquisition, within the bounds of the prescribed share price interval. When reaching its decision, the Board has given particular consideration to valuations of the Atle share in recent months. Share buy-backs are not considered to constitute any limitation to the investments Atle has planned for the coming years. Stockholm, 3 May 2000 Atle AB (publ) The Board For more information, please contact: Gunnar Huss, Deputy Chief Executive Johan Hähnel, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Marketing Tel: +46 (0)8 506 10100 ATLE AB (Publ) P.O. BOX 7308 S-103 90 STOCKHOLM SWEDEN VISITING ADDRESS: REGERINGSGATAN 48 TELEPHONE +46 (0)8 506 10100 TELEFAX +46 (0)8 506 10110 CORPORATE IDENTITY NO.: 556454-8799 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/05/03/20000503BIT01240/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/05/03/20000503BIT01240/bit0002.pdf