Swedish Match expands in Australia

th Effective from June 30 Swedish Match has acquired the Australian company WSGAL/Bryant & May's matches and lighter operations in Australia and New Zealand. The acquisition means that Swedish Match is purchasing 100% of the matches, lighters and firelighters operations from Bryant & May for AUD 10 M (SEK 49 M). The acquisition includes stock, equipment, goodwill, the well-known "Redheads" and "Beehive" brand names and the trade name Bryant & May. As a result of the acquisition, Swedish Match gains access to new, important distribution channels in Australia and New Zealand, mainly supermarket chains and retailers. Bryant & May's operations includes manufacturing of firelighters meanwhile the rest of the products are imported, matches from Swedish Match. The acquired operations will be integrated in Swedish Match's existing subsidiaries in Australia and New Zealand. Swedish Match's total sales will then increase by approximately AUD 10,5 M (SEK 51 M). The matches and lighter markets in Australia represent a value of about AUD 40 M (SEK 195 M) and in New Zealand about NZD 11,8 M (SEK 49 M). Swedish Match is an international company that manufactures and markets tobacco products, matches and disposable lighters. The company's products are produced in 26 plants in 14 countries and are sold through some sixty marketing organizations in about 140 countries. Swedish Match has annual sales of SEK 7,500 M, with slightly more than 7,000 employees. Swedish Match has been listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange since 1996 and on NASDAQ. The Group's head office is in Stockholm, Sweden. For additional information, please contact: Bo Aulin, Senior Vice Office:+ 46 8 658 President, 03 64 Corporate Affairs Mobile:+ 46 70 558 03 64 Residence:+ 46 8 768 45 22 Boel Sundvall, Vice Office:+ 46 8 658 President, 01 73 Investor Relations Mobile:+ 46 70 651 39 09 Residence:+ 46 8 25 87 12 Göran Ekdahl, Vice , Office: President + 46 8 685 01 62 Corporate Communications Mobile:+ 46 70 858 11 62 Residence: + 46 8 768 38 22