Press Release

SURTECO increases sales and pretax profit, further profitable growth expected

- Consolidated sales improved by 3 % to EUR 638 million during the business year 2015

- Pretax profit increases by 20 % to EUR 26.8 million

- Outlook 2016: Modest increase in sales and substantial improvement in earnings are the objective

Buttenwiesen-Pfaffenhofen, 23 March 2016 - SURTECO SE - one of the world's leading manufacturers of decorative surface materials - succeeded in increasing sales and earnings within the anticipated framework in 2015. According to preliminary, unaudited figures, consolidated sales increased by 3 % from EUR 618.5 million to EUR 638.4 during the year under review. Both Strategic Business Units were able to make a contribution to this positive development. In spite of substantial integration costs for the concentration of German decorative printing activities, SURTECO also achieved an increase of 3 % by comparison with 2014 (EUR 62.8 million) in earnings before interest, tax and depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) at EUR 65.0 million. Lower depreciation and amortization, a significantly improved financial result, and positive, one-off extraordinary effects resulted in an increase in the pretax profit from EUR 22.3 million in 2014 to the current level of EUR 26.8 million.

"We have achieved an increase in sales of almost EUR 20 million and improved earnings, and we also reached our adjusted annual targets defined in August of last year. Our focus in the business year 2015 was on the consistent relocation of the printing facilities and integration within the location in Buttenwiesen. In 2016, we can see additional potential for profitable growth because we will now be in an even better position to reap the fruits of our strategy of consolidation pursued in previous years," commented the Chairman of the Board of Management of SURTECO SE, Dr. Herbert Müller.

Further profitable growth is the focus for 2016

Subject to stable economic development, SURTECO is forecasting a further slight improvement in sales and a significantly above-average growth in earnings. Alongside operational improvements, the substantially lower one-off burdens from the Süddekor integration are likely to play a significant role in exerting a positive impact. The detailed outlook for the business year 2016 will be presented at the Annual Press Conference in Frankfurt on 29 April 2016 together with the audited financial statements and the Annual Report for the year 2015.

Profile of SURTECO
SURTECO SE, Buttenwiesen-Pfaffenhofen, is a leading international specialist for surface technologies. The product portfolio includes papers printed with decorative designs, impregnated products, release papers, decorative flat foils and edgebandings based on specialist papers for technical applications and plastics. The extensive product portfolio is completed by skirtings made of plastic, technical extrusions for industry and do-it-yourself ranges and shutter systems.
The Group currently has a workforce of appr. 2,600 and manufactures at 20 sites on four continents, currently generating approximately 28 % of sales in Germany, 44 % in European countries outside Germany and the remainder in America, Asia and Australia. Customers of SURTECO generally come from the wood based materials, flooring and furnishing industry and the interior industry.
The shares of SURTECO SE are listed on the official market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt and Munich Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol SUR and ISIN DE0005176903. They are also traded on the stock markets in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart Hamburg and Hannover.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This press release contains statements of future forecasts or expectations and other forward-looking statements and involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties. There is therefore no guarantee for the statements and expectations expressed herein. The actual results and developments may differ substantially. The company does not intend to - and assumes no obligation - to update any forward looking statements contained herein or to adapt such information to future results or developments.

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