Shareholders welcome corporate strategy
Lohne, June 25, 2010 – The Management Board drew a positive interim balance for the first half-year at the Shareholders' General Meeting of EnviTec Biogas AG (ISIN: DE000A0MVLS8) on June 24, 2010. CEO Olaf von Lehmden called shareholders' attention to the successes achieved in the three segments of Plant Construction, Own Plant Operation, and Service. EnviTec Biogas occupies a leading position among European biogas plant manufacturers, and distinguishes itself from other market participants in terms of revenue, product range, and innovative strength. Shareholders acknowledged the reported trends, confirmed the company's strategy at the ordinary Shareholders' General Meeting, and approved all agenda items with a large majority. The company's shareholders discharged the Management and Supervisory boards for the 2009 financial year by more than 99 percent. A resolution was also passed for a new share repurchase program: EnviTec Biogas is entitled to acquire its own shares by a proportional amount of up to 10 percent of the issued share capital via the stock market until June 23, 2015.
The company has many plans for the current year, and anticipates revenue and earnings growth. The objective is profitable, sustainable growth through sale and own operation of biogas plants, and services relating to the construction and operation of plants. Apart from the German market a growth in demand is also reported from other European markets. "It is becoming clear that particularly those foreign markets are reporting good growth where biogas remuneration has been implemented on an attractive and long-term oriented basis," commented CFO Jörg Fischer. For instance, the company has launched several projects in Italy, one of its most important markets. In the meantime, progress is being made with approval procedures, which are now proceeding more rapidly and efficiently in some countries, including Italy. The failure on the part of authorities to issue approvals on time had frequently delayed biogas plant construction in the past.
EnviTec Biogas is also concentrating on the highly profitable operation of its own biogas plants in cooperation with partners, both in Germany and abroad, and meanwhile operates more than 20 of its own plants. One of these cooperative enterprises is a new joint venture: in May, EnviTec Biogas and BKN biostrom AG founded the joint holding company ETBKN Holding GmbH & Co. KG for the construction and operation of biogas plants, in which EnviTec Biogas acts as the majority shareholder. EnviTec Biogas is contributing its in-depth technological know-how and own plant technology to the joint-venture, while BKN biostrom is providing project development and plant operation experience. The joint company enjoys major potential: in many European countries, governments are using new laws and attractive, long-term oriented remuneration to provide good preconditions for providers of biogas plants. "In addition, biogas will prospectively play an outstanding role in the renewable energies mix with a broader bandwidth of input materials," commented Olaf von Lehmden. "We are well positioned to benefit from these trends."
About EnviTec Biogas AG
EnviTec Biogas AG covers the entire value chain for the production of biogas - including the planning and turnkey construction of biogas plants as well as their commissioning. The company provides the biological and technical service, and also offers full plant and operating management. In Güstrow, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, EnviTec Biogas built the world’s largest plant for the production of biogas to natural gas standards with a thermal output of 55 megawatts. In addition, the company also operates its own biogas plants. Today, the company is represented in more than 15 countries throughout Europe, as well as in India. EnviTec Biogas generated revenues of EUR 120 million and EBIT of EUR -0.5 million in 2009. The EnviTec Group currently has 385 employees. EnviTec has been listed on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since July 2007.
Investor Relations:
Olaf Brandes
EnviTec Biogas AG
Tel: +49 44 42 80 65-118
E-mail: ir@envitec-biogas.de
Press contact:
Britta Cirkel, Christina Siebels
HOSCHKE & CONSORTEN Public Relations GmbH
Tel: +49 40 36 90 50- 56 /-58
E-mail: b.cirkel@hoschke.de; c.siebels@hoschke.de
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