GEA secures long-term refinancing

A syndicated credit line (‘club deal’) of EUR 230 million from March 2009, previously due in 2011, has now been extended to a volume of EUR 650 million, with the first half coming due in 2013 and the second half not before 2015. Interest rates for this club deal were set at the lower range. In addition, the borrower’s note loan of EUR 200 million from 2008 has been increased to EUR 220 million and the maturity of a portion of EUR 128 million has now been extended to August 2013.

“Following our credit agreement with the European Investment Bank at the end of last year, this recent extension of maturities and volumes of our debt facilities represents a further major step towards safeguarding our solid financing base,” said CFO Dr. Helmut Schmale. “These extensions give us a high degree of financial flexibility and answer any refinancing questions which the previous 2011 maturities entailed. The willingness of our partner banks and investors to extend their commitments underlines GEA’s strong position in the capital markets.”

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft is one of the largest system providers for food and energy processes with about EUR 4.4 billion in 2009 revenue. As an internationally operating technology group, the company focuses on process technology and components for demanding production processes in various end markets. The group gains about 70 percent of its revenue in the long-term growing food and energy industries. The company's workforce comprised over 20,000 employees worldwide as of December 31, 2009. GEA Group is a market and technology leader in its business areas. The company is listed in the MDAX index (G1A, WKN 660200).

Contact

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft Tel. +49-(0)234-980-1081 Fax +49-(0)234-980-1087 pr@geagroup.com www.geagroup.com

ENDE Pressemeldung / Pressemitteilung GEA secures long-term refinancing

Die GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft ist einer der grössten Systemanbieter für die Erzeugung von Nahrungsmitteln und Energie mit einem Konzernumsatz von über 4,4 Milliarden Euro in 2010.

Sie konzentriert sich als international tätiger Technologiekonzern auf Prozesstechnik und Komponenten für die anspruchsvollen Produktionsprozesse in unterschiedlichen Endmärkten. Der Konzern generiert ca. 70 Prozent seines Umsatzes aus den langfristig wachsenden Industrien für Nahrungsmittel und Energie.

Zum 31. Dezember 2010 beschäftigte das Unternehmen weltweit mehr als 20.000 Mitarbeiter. Die GEA Group zählt in ihren Geschäftsfeldern zu den Markt- und Technologieführern.

Das Unternehmen ist im deutschen MDAX (G1A, WKN 660200) notiert. Zudem hat die GEA Group ein uneingeschränktes, gesponsertes Level 1 American Depository Receipt (ADR)-Programm in den USA.