THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FOR THE NEW P
BIOHIT PLC. STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 4.2.2000 at 10:30 a.m. 1 (3)
THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FOR THE NEW PRODUCTION PREMISES OF BIOHIT
PLC.
Biohit has concluded on February 4, 2000 a contract agreement with
Palmgren-Rakennus Oy, a company belonging to the Lemminkäinen Group
concerning the construction of Biohit's new production premises.
According to the agreement the construction work will be carried out
as a project management contract under the direction of Palmberg-
Rakennus Oy. The total surface of the premises will be approx. 3.000
m2 and it will be built on a 1,4 hectar plot rented from the City of
Kajaani. The plot is situated in the industrial area of Petäisenniska
in Kajaani. According to the agreement between Biohit and Palmberg-
Rakennus the construction time will be approx. 7 months.
Simultaneously with the signing of the above agreement, which took
place at the city hall of Kajaani, also the rental agreement for the
plot as well as the conciliation agreement with the City of Kajaani
were signed. The conciliation agreement confirmed officially the
conciliation negotiated between the City of Kajaani and Biohit last
year concerning the disengagement of Biohit from the old premises.
The total cost of the project is approx. FIM 20 million. The Ministry
of Trade and Industry supports the project with approx. FIM 5,0
million. The rent for the plot to be paid to the City of Kajaani will
be FIM 11.500 per year, and Biohit has the right to redeem the plot
after 10 years for FIM 1.000. According to the terms of the
conciliation agreement signed, the City of Kajaani will return to
Biohit the FIM 2,4 million Biohit has paid as fees for the former
premises, which were affected by damages caused by humidity, and the
rental security totalling to approx. FIM 1,2 million. In addition,
according to the terms of conciliation the City of Kajaani will pay
Biohit a FIM 2,0 million compensation and grant a FIM 4,5 million loan
for 10 years without interest.
As a result of the construction of the new premises Biohit will renew
and render more efficient the production of its liquid handling
devices (pipettors), their disposable tips as well as other plastic
products. According to the estimate of the Company the new premises
enable, at least, to triple the volume of current production. At
present, the injection molding departments of Biohit, producing
precision molded plastic components, pipettor parts and disposable
tips, operates 7 days a week, 24 hours per day. The assembly
departments for the mechanical and electronic pipettors and other
supporting functions operate primarily in one shift, 5 days a week.
The Biohit Group, established in 1988, consists of the parent company
Biohit Plc. and 7 subsidiaries: One subsidiary specializing in
diagnostics in Finland and 6 sales subsidiaries abroad. The Group net
sales totalled to FIM 100,4 in 1998. The degree of domestic production
is approx. 95%, and approx. 97% of sales are generated outside of
Finland. Biohit is currently one of the leading manufacturers of
liquid handling devices in the world. Companies such as Becton
Dickinson, bioMérieux, Johnson & Johnson and 3M complement their
2 (3)
diagnostic systems with products based on Biohit's numerous
innovations and patents. For the German company Eppendorf, which
manufactures, e.g., mechanical pipettors, Biohit has developed and
delivers electronic pipettors and has licensed a worldwide patent for
the development of a new generation of a mechanical pipettor family.
The diagnostic tests and instruments currently under development will
together with the liquid handling devices form analyzer systems for
the diagnosis of cancer and infectious diseases.
Biohit became a public limited company in April 1999 and listed on the
New Market (NM) -list of Helsinki Exchanges in June 1999. As to the
companies mentioned in the enclosed table, which displays approx. 20
Finnish companies having recently listed in Finland, Biohit is the
owner of 16 Finnish patents. Biohit believes that its extensive patent
protection both in Finland and abroad forms a strong basis, minimizing
risks of copying, for global co-operation and growth.
Enclosure: Patenting in Finland by Finnish Companies Recently Listed
and Certain Financial Figures
Company Patents Patent Utility Net sales Market value
Applica- Models 1999 MFIM, 25.1.2000/
tions estimate Estimated
Net Sales 1999
Biohit 16 31 - 124 2,3
Perlos 6 13 3 1.607 6,6
Teleste 3 4 - 66 23,8
Eimo 1 2 - 483 4,6
Sanitec 1 1 - 3.722 1,3
Stonesoft - 3 - 152 26,2
Keskisuomalai- - 1 - 225 0,9
nen
Aldata - - - 205 8,8
Comptel - - - 251 43,1
F-Secure - - - 141 38,6
Janton - - - 267 2,2
Liinos - - - 107 8,8
Marimekko - - - 162 0,6
Nedecon - - - 22 7,0
Proha - - - 35 6,5
Sponda - - - 426 4,0
Sysopen - - - 62 13,8
Technopolis - - - 79 2,4
Oulu
TH - - - 105 2,4
tiedonhallinta
Tieto-X - - - 71 3,5
TJ Group - - - 67 61,9
3 (3)
Sources concerning company information, including that on the Biohit
Group: National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland,
Taloussanomat 26.1.2000, Helsingin Sanomat 26.1.2000
Biohit Plc.
Helena Hentola
Information Management
Further information: Osmo Suovaniemi, President & CEO. tel: +358-
9-773 861, 050-556 5605, fax: +358-9-773 86
205.
http://www.biohit.com
Distribution: Helsinki Exchanges
The Financial Supervisory Authority
Press
