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Swissmetal will invest CHF 25 million in a new extrusion press in Dornach.

Dornach/Reconvilier, February 9th, 2005

 

The Board of Directors of UMS Swiss Metalworks Ltd has decided to undertake a major investment to modernize its production equipment and acquire a new extrusion press.

The Swissmetal Board of Directors has decided to construct a new production building and install a new extrusion press at its Dornach plant. The new facility is expected to be ready for production in 2007. It will provide a significant improvement in productivity across most of Swissmetal's current product range and allow important innovative projects to be implemented. Harder alloys that are difficult to press can thus be processed with a higher degree of precision and a higher level of automation. The new press will be designed in such a way that it will be equally capable of manufacturing all Swissmetal's major product groups, those made at its Reconvilier plant as well as those made at its Dornach plant.

 

As soon as the new facility will be ready for production, Swissmetal will be able to decommission several of the presses currently in use and realize substantial savings in maintenance costs.

 

In addition, Swissmetal has decided to investigate the possible acquisition of a second press and will undertake, in the coming months, an analysis of the potential benefits of such an investment. This second new press would be designed extrude Wires and Rods of small dimensions made of high performance alloys. This specialised press would be ideal for the plant in Reconvilier, where these types of products are made. Dornach/Reconvilier, February 9th, 2005

 

The investment in the new extrusion press is an important prerequisite for enabling Swissmetal to further boost its productivity and thus its profitability. At the same time, the investment will create a much better industrial basis for the rapid implementation of the company's chosen strategy of growth through speciality products.

 

 

Swissmetal is global technology leader in high-quality special products from copper and copper alloy, which are mainly used in the electronics, telecommunications, aviation, automotive, stationery and watch industries. In the 2004 financial year the company generated sales of approx. CHF 205 million. At the end of February 2005 it employed a workforce of 787 FTEs. Swissmetal is listed on SWX Swiss Exchange. With development and production sites in Reconvilier and Dornach, its own sales offices in Olten (Switzerland), Milan (Italy) and Deisslingen-Lauffen (Germany), plus a global network of agents and dealers, Swissmetal delivers to clients in Europe, North America and Asia.

 

Contact:

Martin Hellweg, Chief Executive Officer

Sam V. Furrer, Chief Development Officer/Corporate Communications

Phone: +41 (0)61 705 3600

 


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