HRM systems integrated with business systems is an area with strong growth potential in the Nordic region. Customers are making increasing demands for systems solutions that can speedily simplify human resource processes, facilitate manpower planning and provide cost efficiency. Suppliers of systems solutions will therefore be forced to make substantial investments in order to create competitive products. So as to strengthen its service and delivery capability within HRM, Intentia has therefore decided to conclude a partnership agreement with Bluegarden AS.

The Norwegian company Bluegarden, which was acquired by Ratos at the end of 2003, is one of Scandinavia's leading suppliers of systems and services within payroll processing and HRM. With more than 250 employees the company has created a broad range of modern and functional products that are under continuous development to meet market demands. Bluegarden's product range will also provide Intentia's customers with a number of new services such as operation of HRM systems and outsourcing of payroll and HRM services.

The agreement provides a co-ordinated offering for the Scandinavian market and strengthens opportunities to provide solutions that cross national borders, an increasingly common demand in purchasing today.

As of 1 December, Bluegarden will take over 20 consultants from Intentia in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Intentia will continue to be responsible for its commitments to customers with regard to products and services.

"Today's partnership agreement will allow Bluegarden's products to be offered to Intentia's customers in a natural way," says Svein F. Gullaksen, CEO of Bluegarden. "We have already shown that this type of partnership works well for both us and our customers."

"This partnership with Intentia marks a further step towards Bluegarden's and Ratos's aim to strengthen Bluegarden's position as a leading HRM supplier in the Nordic region," says Bo Jungner, Chairman of the Board of Bluegarden and Senior Investment Manager at Ratos.

For additional information, please contact:

Anna-Karin Celsing, Head of Corporate Communications Ratos, +46 8 700 17 49

Per Frankling, Investment Manager, Ratos +46 8 700 17 00

Financial calendar from Ratos:

Interim report January-September 2004                12 November 2004

Year-end report 2004                                          23 February 2005

Interim report January-March 2005                      12 May 2005

Interim report January-June 2005                         24 August 2005

Interim report January-September 2005                11 November 2005