Sapa Becomes Wholly Owner inAutoplastics.

Business Editors

STOCKHOLM, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2000

Sapa has acquired Norsk Hydro ASA's shares in Sapa Autoplastics. Sapa Autoplastics, which has been owned to 60 percent by Sapa and to 40 percent by Norsk Hydro since May-99, will now become a wholly owned business

"We are doing the deal at this stage due to a number of reasons," says Staffan Bohman, CEO of Sapa. "A wholly owned business gives us more freedom to act and to participate in the restructuring of the sector. The timing is good - the restructuring work goes as planned and the profit trend points in the right direction. The goal to achieve an operating margin of 4-5 percent in the latter part of this year remains, with expectations of further margin improvements for coming years", says Staffan Bohman further.

The acquisition is estimated to positively affect profit per share already for this year.

Sapa is an international industrial group. Sapa focuses on value added products based on the lightweight materials aluminium and plastics. The products range from aluminium profiles and aluminium heat transfer strip and products and systems for the transport industry. Sapa is one of the leading companies within its field with customers in the transport-, telecom-, engineering and construction industries. Sapa is registered on the A-list of OM Stockholm Exchange.

Further information about Sapa is found on our homepage www.sapa.se

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