English

THE CONSTRUCTION OF BIOHIT'S PREMISES CO

Report this content 
BIOHIT PLC.    STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE   30.12.1999   9:30 a.m.   1 (2)


THE CONSTRUCTION OF BIOHIT'S PREMISES COMMENCES IN KAJAANI


Biohit  Plc.  will  commence the construction of  its  new  production
premises  in  Kajaani according to the original plans. On December  21
the Company received the final decision from the Ministry of Trade and
Industry with regard to the investment subsidy provided by the  state,
which  was the most important issue related with the financing of  the
project. According to the decision the share of the investment subsidy
of  the  total  costs of the project is at maximum FIM 5,060,000.  The
Company estimates that the total costs of the project are approx.  FIM
20 million.

The construction work is anticipated to begin during spring 2000 after
the  construction plans have been finished. The Company estimates that
the new premises can be taken into use during 2000.

Biohit  Plc.  has  so  far operated in two premises  in  Kajaani.  All
operations  of these two units will be relocated to the new  premises.
The  new  premises  will improve and increase the  efficiency  of  the
production  of the liquid handling devices (pipettors) and  disposable
pipettor tips.



Biohit  develops and manufactures innovative liquid handling  devices,
diagnostic  tests, instruments and systems formed from  these  product
groups  for  use in research, health care and industrial laboratories.
These  products  are  protected  by  patents  in  numerous  countries.
Biohit's main products are currently electronic and mechanical  liquid
handling  devices  and  their disposable tips. Biohit  is  the  global
market  leader  of  electronic pipettors with an  approx.  70%  market
share.

In  the area of diagnostics Biohit manufactures and markets monoclonal
antibodies  for  use  in  research as well as  for  the  detection  of
different types of cancer. During 2000 the Company will launch a  test
panel  for  screening the risk of gastric cancer,  gastric  ulcer  and
duodenal ulcer and for detecting lactose intolerance. The Company  has
begun  to market three blood tests for diagnosing celiac disease.  The
Company  will also launch in 2000 a telomere antibody test,  which  is
used to detect from a blood sample systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),
a connective tissue disease.

The  net  sales of the Biohit Group totalled to FIM 100.4  million  in
1998.  The  customer base consists of different types of  laboratories
and  numerous multinational companies. For example Biohit manufactures
for Becton Dickinson, bioMérieux, Eppendorf, Johnson & Johnson and  3M
tailor-made  OEM  -liquid  handling  devices  which  complement  their
analyzer systems.

                                                                 2 (2)

Biohit Plc.

Helena Hentola
Information Management

Further information:     Osmo Suovaniemi, President & CEO, tel: +358-9-
                         773 861, direct: 09-773 86 250, mobile: 050-
                         556 5605.
                         
                         http://www.biohit.com

Distribution:            Helsinki Exchanges
                         Press

Subscribe