Investor Relations

 

Ternitz, 29.3.2005. – The capital increase of SCHOELLER-BLECKMANN Oilfield Equipment AG (SBO) involving 3 million new shares and the Secondary Public Offering of 1.16 million shares from the stock of Berndorf AG has been completed successfully. The subscription and offer price was defined at EUR 18 per share. The amount of outstanding shares increased to a total of 16 million shares. Due to the capital increase and the sale of 1.16 million shares from the stock of Berndorf AG the free-float rises to 61% of the nominal capital. After the over allotment option (Greenshoe) will be fully exercised, the free float will increase to 64 %. 

 

The proceeds from the capital increase reached approximately EUR 54 Mio.

 

The proceeds for SBO will be used to finance a strategic investment programme with a volume of roughly EUR 100 M, which will be executed by 2007. The programme consists of organic growth following the expected strong demand in the oilfield service industry. Furthermore acquisitions and additional locations in oil drilling regions will be established, as for example in Sibiria.

 

The subscription and offer periode closed on March 25^th 2005. The book was four times subscribed. The shares were predominantly placed with institutional investors in Austria and Europe, while the interest from private investors was equally high. The exercise of subscription rights was highly satisfactory. The subscription and offer price was defined via a book-building procedure. The new shares are expected to be listed in the Prime Market, ATX segment at the Vienna stock exchange (Wiener Boerse) from April 1^st 2005 onwards. The shares are provided with full dividend rights for the current 2005 business year, which started on January 1^st 2005.

 

The transaction was accompanied by Raiffeisen Centrobank as Sole Global Co-ordinator. Raiffeisen Centrobank and Bank Austria Creditanstalt acted as Joint Lead Managers & Joint Bookrunners.

 

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG is the global leader for high-precision components for the oilfield service industry. The business focus is on non-magnetic drillstring components for directional drilling. Worldwide, SBO employs a workforce of 837 (December 31, 2003: 800), currently 211in the company headquarters at Ternitz, Lower Austria, and 435 in North America (including Mexico). The core shareholder of the company is Berndorf AG.

 

For information please contact:

Gerald Grohmann, Chief Executive Officer

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG

A-2630 Ternitz, Hauptstraße 2
Tel: +43 2630/315 ext. 110, fax: ext. 101

E-mail: sboe@sbo.co.at

 

Mick Stempel, Hochegger|Financials
Tel:+43 1/504 69 87 ext. 85

E-mail: m.stempel@hochegger.com

 

 

THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER NOR AN INVITATION OR RECOMMENDATION TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR ANY SHARES OR OTHER SECURITIES OF SCHOELLER-BLECKMANN OILFIELD EQUIPMENT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT AND NEITHER THIS DOCUMENT NOR ANYTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL FORM THE BASIS OF ANY CONTRACT OR COMMITMENT WHATSOEVER.  THE SHARES AND SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS OF SCHOELLER-BLECKMANN OILFIELD EQUIPMENT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S.  SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES LAW AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO OR ON ACCOUNT OF A U.S.-PERSON.  THE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT CONTAINED IN THIS INFORMATION RELATE TO FUTURE FACTS.  SUCH PROJECTIONS AND PREDICTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS WHICH ARE BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE COMPANY. SCHOELLER-BLECKMANN OILFIELD EQUIPMENT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT IS THEREFORE NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS AS TO THE ACCURACY OF ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS AND PREDICTIONS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OR THE MARKET OF THE SHARES OF THE COMPANY.  A PROSPECTUS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE AUSTRIAN STOCK EXCHANGE ACT (BÖRSEGESETZ) AND THE AUSTRIAN CAPITAL MARKET ACT (KAPITALMARKTGESETZ) HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE OESTERREICHISCHE KONTROLLBANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, ACTING AS NOTIFICATION OFFICE, AND PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 10 PARA 2 KMG.  IT IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS AT THE PREMISES OF THE COMPANY, 2630 TERNITZ, HAUPTSTRASSE 2, AT RAIFFEISEN CENTROBANK AG, 1010 VIENNA, TEGETTHOFFSTRASSE 1, AS WELL AT BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT AG, 1030 VIENNA, VORDERE ZOLLAMTSTRASSE 13, 1010 VIENNA, AM HOF 2, AND 1010 VIENNA, SCHOTTENGASSE 6.