Villeroy & Boch is taking over an 80% interest in the Thai sanitaryware producer Nahm Sanitaryware Co, Ltd., which is situated in Bangkok. Conclusion of the agreement is dependent on the approval of the Thai Board of Investment.

 

This acquisition is a resolute step forward in the company’s internationalisation strategy. Approximately 80% of Villeroy & Boch sales are already being made outside Germany. The objective in purchasing Nahm Sanitaryware Co, Ltd. is to create a platform in Asian-Pacific countries in order to be in a position to develop the sales potential in the region more intensely. This local presence allows a prompt response to changes in the dynamic Asian markets.

Villeroy & Boch will continue to use the “nahm” brand in Asia. Moreover, a selection of the sanitaryware collections and ranges for special projects with the Villeroy & Boch brand will be produced in the Thai factory for the Asian market and for Australia.

 

Thailand is an attractive destination for expansion, especially on account of its reputation as a production location for quality goods and of free access to the South-East Asian markets (Asean). Nahm Sanitaryware Co, Ltd. is positioned in the medium to high quality goods segment and ranks amongst the leading sanitaryware producers in Thailand. The company employs a workforce of around 800. In 2007 it achieved sales totalling 10 million euros with annual capacity of 500,000 units.

 

 

For further information please contact:

 

 

Almut Hähner-Ural

Head of the Press Department and Public Relations

Tel: (00 49) (0) 68 64 - 81 13 97

Fax: (00 49) (0) 68 64 - 81 26 92

Mail: haehner-ural.almut@villeroy-boch.com

Philipp Schmidt

Investor Relations

Tel: (00 49) (0) 68 64 - 81 1520

Fax: (00 49) (0) 68 64 - 81 71520

Mail: schmidt.philipp@villeroy-boch.com

 

Mettlach, 24 October 2007 – Villeroy & Boch AG announces that its Dutch subsidiary Ucosan B.V. is about to launch a safety campaign in relation to accidents caused by heavy falls.

With earlier versions of certain bath models made from Quaryl®, a heavy fall could lead to injuries caused by cracks in the material under unfavourable circumstances. This is why a safety campaign is now being launched.

The expenses in connection with Ucosan's safety campaign might exceed €1m and thus have a negative effect on the annual result of the Villeroy & Boch Group.

There is no such risk as mentioned above in relation to the Quaryl® baths that are currently being manufactured. Consumers and our market partners will be informed about the above safety campaign by way of notices, press releases and announcements on the Internet.

 

In case of enquiry:

 

German Press:

Elke Fischer, Villeroy & Boch AG

Tel: +49 (0)6864 – 81 13 97

fischer.elke@villeroy-boch.com

 

Foreign Press:

Kirsten Stiller, fischerAppelt Kommunikation München GmbH

Tel.: +49 (0)89 55 06 18 80

presseservice@fischerAppelt.de

 

Investor Relations:

Philipp Schmidt, Villeroy & Boch AG

Tel: +49 (0)6864 – 81 15 20

schmidt.philipp@villeroy-boch.com

 

March 29th 2007

At the Supervisory Board meeting of March 29th 2007 the Supervisory Board of Villeroy & Boch AG appointed Frank Göring (45) Management Board spokesman with effect from June 1st 2007. He therefore succeeds the current Management Board Chairman, Wendelin von Boch (64), who after 40 years' service at Villeroy & Boch will become a Supervisory Board member at the General Meeting of Shareholders on June 1st of this year.

Following his degree in business administration, and executive positions in the marketing department at Procter and Gamble, Reemtsma and Hero, Frank Göring joined Villeroy & Boch in 1997 as Marketing Director of the Bathroom and Kitchen Division. On January 1st 2005 Frank Göring was appointed member of the Villeroy & Boch Management Board, holding responsibility for the Bathroom and Wellness Division.

With the appointment of Frank Göring to Management Board spokesman, operative management of the two Divisions, Bathroom and Wellness and Tableware will be transferred to Executive Committees which will report directly to the Management Board spokesman.

Management Board member Manfred Finger retains unchanged responsibility for the Finance and Personnel divisions, and also his position as Director of Human Resources.

A third organisational unit – "Corporate Development" – will be set up, in the second half of 2007, to which the departments Law, M+A/Strategic Planning, Innovation, Engineering, Purchasing and Revision will be assigned. This decision should, above all, promote strategic development in the corporate globalisation process.

 

March 2007

The negotiations with the Eczacibasi Group, which were announced in December 2006, have been concluded. The Turkish Group will acquire 51% of V & B Fliesen GmbH. Villeroy & Boch will maintain a 49% share of V & B Fliesen GmbH. The property and buildings at the two factories will remain in the possession of Villeroy & Boch AG. In addition the almost 1,000 jobs at V & B Fliesen GmbH are to be maintained.

V & B Fliesen GmbH, located at the factories in Merzig/Saar, Germany, and La Ferté Gaucher, France, achieved sales of Euro 149 million in 2006 with more than 10 million m2 of wall and floor tiles. A licensing agreement ensures the future existence of the "House of Villeroy & Boch" integral product range.

The production plants in Germany and France will be continued. The company's head office and the administration of V & B Fliesen GmbH will remain in Merzig. Peter von der Lippe, who is currently director of tile activities, will also continue as director of V & B Fliesen GmbH in future. Closing is expected on June 30th 2007.

Eczacibasi is a highly-competitive industrial group achieving overall sales of US$ 2.8 billion. The new association formed by the Eczacibasi tile division and V & B Fliesen GmbH will have a total tile output of 35 million m². This will clearly improve competitiveness in the global markets.

Initiated in 1998, restructuring of Villeroy & Boch AG led to a strengthening and modernisation of the two Divisions Bathroom and Wellness, and Tableware. The company will continue to promote development and globalisation of these two profitable sectors to ensure continuation of the positive growth trend.

 

February 2006

On January 30th 2006, subject to approval under cartel law, Villeroy & Boch took over the entire ceramic sanitary-ware business of the Mexican industrial group "Grupo Industrial Saltillo" (GIS). This take over involved three sanitary ware factories with a capacity of 2.1 million units. Under the brand names Vitromex and St. Thomas Creation the 950 employees achieve a turnover of around USD 60 million, roughly 45% of which on the US market. The parties concerned have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

Owing to Villeroy & Boch's strong presence in the tableware sector, the US market is already the company's second most important export market after France. By making this acquisition, the company is creating an industrial platform on which its most profitable Business Segment – ceramic sanitary ware – can develop both this strategically important market, and the growing markets in Central and South America. The acquisition will not give rise to any adverse effects for employees in Europe.

 

At its meeting on September 12 2005, the Villeroy & Boch Supervisory Board passed a resolution to separate the Tile Division from Villeroy & Boch AG and establish it as a  wholly-owned subsidiary with effect from January 1^st  2006.

These measures aim to relieve the Division to a great extent from centralised costs, and enable concentrated implementation of the capital  reconstruction scheme already initiated, with cost savings of over € 10 million.

The Tile Division employs a workforce of approximately 1,000.