Studsvik acquires German engineering company

Studsvik acquires 30 per cent of the German engineering company WTI As an additional step in our efforts on the German and international nuclear market, Studsvik has acquired 30 percent of the German engineering company Wissenschaftlich-Technische Ingenieurberatung GmbH (WTI). Studsvik is now, besides GNS, Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service, which holds 48 per cent of the shares, a major shareholder of WTI. The remaining shares are with the founder and Managing Director, Dr. Heinz Geiser and an investment company (JKGB). The annual turnover of WTI's engineering services is around DEM 11.5 million (equivalent to SEK 52 million). WTI provides engineering services since 20 years in the nuclear field and cooperates closely with GNS, which has similar responsibility in Germany as the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB). WTI provides a wide range of engineering services, mainly in the following areas: * Safety analysis and calculation * Waste management planning and studies for the operation and decommissioning of nuclear installations * Computer-aided design analyses, structural evaluations, thermodynamics, shielding and criticality analyses * Construction and project work, turn-key planning/erection (particularly for storage facilities for low, intermediate and high level radioactive materials) "By gaining access to WTI's wealth of experience, we can further increase our share of the German, and hopefully the international, market," says Carsten Olsson, Studsvik's President and Group CEO. "Through last year's acquisition of the German service company SINA, we established a firm foothold on the German market. The acquisition of thirty percent of WTI will further strengthen our position, as well as the established cooperation with GNS" says Carsten Olsson. We expect a synergy effect from this acquisition through the opportunity of working with SINA, as well as with other segments of the strategic business units Industrial Services and Waste & Decommissioning. Furthermore, we will be able to utilise the extensive German know-how on other markets where we are active and are planning operations," concludes Carsten Olsson. ATLE AB (Publ) BOX 7308 S-103 90 STOCKHOLM SWEDEN VISITING ADDRESS: REGERINGSGATAN 48 PHONE +46 8 506 101 00 10 FAX +46 8 506 101 10 CORP ID 556454-8799 2 (2) Stockholm, 31 May 1999 Atle AB (publ) For additional information, please contact: Carsten Olsson, President and CEO of Studsvik AB, +46 155 22 10 20 or +46 70 325 10 20 Dr. Heinz Geiser, President WTI, +49 2461 933 101 Thomas Backteman, Senior Vice President for Communications and Investor Relations of Studsvik AB, +46 155 22 10 66 or +46 70 559 10 66 Atle AB Atle is an industrial and trading group which invests in and develops small and medium-size companies which are generally unlisted. Atle's core expertise is business development which includes the ability to find interesting companies, create acquisition situations and through active and responsible ownership to develop and after a period of time to find new suitable habitats for owned companies. Atle, which was introduced on the stockmarket in 1993, has a sales rate of approximately SEK 9 billion and a total of 7,500 employees. Since the stockmarket introduction, the number of shareholders has increased to more than 15,000. Operations are carried out in the six business sectors: Atle Karolin Verkstadsindustri, Atle Tjänste & Handel, Atle Miljöteknik, Atle Informationsteknogi, Atle Mergers & Acquisitions and Atle Företagskapital. Atle Miljöteknik Atle Miljöteknik invests in companies with unique technology for handling, disposing and recovery of waste as well as the aftermarket for nuclear products. The Business Sector, which reported sales of SEK 1,000M in 1998, strives for majority ownership. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/31/19990531BIT00270/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/31/19990531BIT00270/bit0002.pdf