Swedish Match closes match production activities in the Geraardsbergen factory

Swedish Match today announced to its personnel in the Geraardsbergen Factory in Belgium the intention to close an important part of its match production activities in the Geraardsbergen factory. The wood processing and finished product assembly operations will be transferred to the Swedish Match factory in Szeged, Hungary, during 1998 and early 1999. 115 employees (104 blue collars and 11 white collars) will be affected in the Geraardsbergen factory. Swedish Match intends to negotiate appropriate social measures with representatives of the employees affected. The printing of matchboxes, together with all logistics and administration functions, will remain in Geraardsbergen, thereby maintaining the employment of 56 people (30 blue- and 26 white collars). Swedish Match is a company specialised in Tobacco, Matches and Lighter products with a turnover of approximately MSEK 7 500 and more than 6 500 employees in approximately 80 offices and factories around the world. Swedish Match is a listed company both at the Stockholm Stock Exchange and at the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, in New York. For additional information, please contact: Bo Aulin, Senior Vice President, Office: +46 8 658 03 64 Corporate Affairs Mobile: +46 70 558 03 64 Residence: +46 8 768 45 22 Göran Ekdahl, Vice President, Office: +46 8 658 01 62 Corporate Communications Mobile: +46 70 858 11 62 Residence: +46 8 768 38 22 Boel Sundvall, Vice President, Office: +46 8 658 01 73 Investor Relations Mobile: +46 70 651 39 09 Residence: +46 8 25 87 12 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1998/03/25/19990120BIT00440/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1998/03/25/19990120BIT00440/bit0002.pdf