News Ticker

• AEM Technologies Holding AG / Ventizz Capital Partners acquire leading Swiss company for the development and manufacture of embedded systems to automate medical and industrial applications.
  
  Düsseldorf, February 28, 2008 - AEM Technologies Holding AG and Ventizz Capital Partners Advisory AG announce the acquisition of a controlling interest in a leading company for the development and production of embedded systems by the Ventizz Capital Fund III L.P. private equity fund for which Ventizz Capital Partners provide consulting services. In connection with effective succession planning, the previous company owners decided to transfer ownership of this tradition-rich company to new owners effective February 28, 2008.
  
  Mikrap AG was founded in 1978 in Einsiedeln, Switzerland and today is a leader in the field of measurement and control technology for automation applications in a wide range of industries. Mikrap AG has designed the latest developments in microcontrollers into its circuitry and is thus able to provide extremely reliable and robust products for monitoring and controlling automation solutions. Thanks to optimal interaction between its software and hardware development group and its production organization, Mikrap is able to achieve a unique combination of design to cost and design for manufacturing and therefore implement product concepts into mass production in the shortest possible time.
  
  Together with its sister companies, AEM Technologies Holding AG, St. Gallen, Switzerland, ECR AG, Rotkreuz, Switzerland and GS Präzisions AG, Küssnacht, Switzerland, the newly acquired Mikrap AG forms a group of companies which, with 250 employees and CHF 80 million in sales revenues, represents a significant size in this industry and which will be able to make an important contribution to solving the challenges of the future for its customers. The Ventizz portfolio also includes AEMtec GmbH, Berlin, Germany, a specialist for mounting and connectivity technology for the production of multichip modules with mixed technology and outsourcing. This team of high tech companies can pool its know-how and offer comprehensive solutions for a broad spectrum of tasks within the electronics field.
  
  Harald H. Hanne, President of the Administrative Board of the Group of Companies, describes the potential of the consolidated company group as follows: "The market is looking for a dependable, full service provider to solve highly complex tasks for innovative electronics applications and which also meets the highest quality standards of the Swiss market. The three Swiss companies within our portfolio complement each other with their unique selling points and provide a solid basis to meet these customer requirements. We see a very significant growth potential for these companies in the European markets and also in markets outside of Europe. As customers continue to increasingly involve their key suppliers in their product development activities, Mikrap, with its excellent software and hardware development know-how, is an ideal addition to the company group."
  
  With this transaction, Ventizz Capital Partners continues to follow its strategy of exclusively focusing on high tech companies with exceptional growth potential. The Ventizz Managing Partners expect that the newly acquired company will offer its investors the chance to achieve an above average return on their investment. Ventizz Capital Fund III L.P. intends also in future to make additional capital available to the company to enable accelerated growth of its business.
  
  Ventizz Capital Fund III L.P. received legal counsel from Schoch, Auer & Partner, St. Gallen, Switzerland and Franz Rechtsanwälte, Düsseldorf, Germany. Consulting services were provided to it in connection with the acquisition by FCF Fox Corporate Finance, Munich, Germany.
  
  
• AEMtec GmbH/Ventizz Capital Partners buys two leading Swiss companies, in electronics manufacturing services and the production of flex & HDI printed circuit boards
  
  AEMtec GmbH and Ventizz Capital Partners Advisory AG announce the acquisition of majority shares in leading electronics manufacturing service company ECR AG and in technological leader for the production of flex and HDI printed circuit boards GS Präzisions AG through their advised Ventizz Capital Fund III L.P. In the context of the subsequent regulation, the previous owners decided to hand over to new ownership the two companies that are rich in tradition with effect from 4th December 2006.
  
  ECR AG based in Rotkreuz, in the Swiss canton of Zug, was founded in 1994 from Roche company and is the leading supplier in the production of electrical components for industrial and medical technology.
  
  GS Präzisions AG in Küssnacht am Rigi, in the Swiss canton of Schwyz, was founded in 1981 and is one of the leading manufacturers of flexible and rigid-flexible as well as HDI printed circuit boards.
  
  Together with AEMtec GmbH in Berlin, the new acquisitions form a company group, which - with over 300 employees and a turnover of 60m Euro - has achieved a significant size in this industry and will make a valuable contribution in resolving the future tasks of its customer base.
  
  Harald H. Hanne, managing director of AEMtec describes the potentials of the group: "The market wants a European turn-key solution house for solving the highly complex challenges of modern electronics products from all market segments. With their complementary unique selling points, the three new companies in our portfolio are the basis for the fulfilment of this customer demand and we see very good potential for successful growth in Europe and in the markets beyond Europe."
  
  In this transaction, Ventizz Capital Partners continues to pursue the strategy of focusing exclusively on high-tech companies with exceptional opportunities for growth. The executive partners of Ventizz expect the company they have purchased to offer the opportunity of generating an above-average yield for their investors. Ventizz Capital Fund III L.P. intends to provide further financial resources for accelerated company growth in the future.
  
  Ventizz Capital Fund III L.P. has taken legal advice from Schoch Auer, St. Gallen and Velten Franz Jakoby, in Düsseldorf.
  
  

  	VENTIZZ Capital Partners Advisory AG Dr. Helmut Vorndran, board spokesperson Tel.: +49 211 862 8690 E-mail: h.vorndran@ventizz.de
  	ECR AG P. Schwarz, managing director Tel.: +41 41 7984 884 E-mail: peter.schwarz@ecrag.ch
  	GS Präzisions AG Dr. F. Bose, managing director Tel.: +41 41 854 4800 E-mail: frank.bose@gspag.ch

  
  
  
  
• AEMtec at Photonics 2006 in San Jose
  
  We exhibit on the Photonics trade show in San Jose, California from January 24.-26., 2006 on the Germany stand.
  
  
  
• AEMtec at Productronica 2005
  
  For the second time AEMtec GmbH was exhibiting successfully on the Productronica 2005 in Munich. Over 30 journalists of the international electronics press participated to the press conference where AEMtec introduced the Copper Pillar and ODM technologies and also presented a new cooperation with Fabrinet, a thai EMS.
  
  PRODUCTRONICA is the only trade fair that presents the world of electronics in its entirety. Its exhibits range from development down to services, including manufacturing. Its product-group categories are organised according to the logical flow of production and to market requirements. From innovative insertion techniques to the latest solar modules, a number of new developments - many of them revolutionary - will be on display at this year's fair. When it comes to integrating all the links in the production chain, the world's fair for this industry is the ideal forum. In the world of electronics manufacturing, PRODUCTRONICA has been the no. 1 market gathering for a long time.
  
  
  
• AEMtec at electronica 2004
  For the first time in its history, AEMtec GmbH presented itself at the electronica in Munich, the international trade fair on electronic components and modules from November 9 to 12, 2004.
  
  A great variety of customers, business partners and prospective buyers honoured our invitation to visit us on the representative "EMS-village" stand, an exhibition platform for job order manufacturers where AEMtec has shown itself again - among other competitors - to be a renowned, successful provider of manufacturing services in the EMS market.
  
  From April 19 to 21, 2004, AEMtec will belong to the exhibitors' community at the SMT 2005 in NŸrnberg with a stand of its own for the third time in succession. Our exhibition presence there will primarily focus on "Services for the automobile supplier industry".
  
  All our customers and prospective buyers are cordially invited to visit our exhibition booth on this occasion!
  
  
  
• Certification to Automobile Industry Standard
  
  In November 2004, AEMtec obtained certification to ISO/TS 16949:2002 (PDF, 44K), the toughest international standard on quality in the automobile industry.
  
  ISO/TS 16949:2002 designates an international quality standard that unites latest requirements on quality management systems in the automobile industries of America, Germany and Italy. Certification to this standard confirms that AEMtec has been found to fulfill the preconditions necessary for doing business with the automobile industry, notably, in terms of process design, manufacturing and service.
  
  An important milestone on our way to successfully position AEMtec in new market segments has thus been achieved.
  
  
  
• Extending Our Production Area
  An order from a new major contractor requires significant enlargements in the company's manufacturing area with increases in manpower and infrastructural resources.

  For this reason, AEMtec has extended its present main production facility on WISTA campus territory by another building that comprises about 600 m² of clean room, storage and office area. Known as the "small amoeba", this extension has been created by the famous prize-winning architect Sauerbruch-Hutton to enable production at increased output levels.

  Following a really tough job, this extension was finished in December 2003 so the company was able to move to its new production site during the last days of 2003. Enlarged by more than 50%, the SMT manufacturing shop is now running at full capacity again. We are thus in a position to offer our Customers additional resources and manufacturing options.

  In order to expand its range of services, AEMtec has also acquired a High Speed Large Area Au-Ball-Bonder, type 8098, from Kulicke & Soffa. Another milestone in the company’s production escalation program has thus been met duly on schedule. More bonders of the same type are to be purchased this year.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• AEMTec Expands its Training Projects
  AEMtec is proactively involved in efforts to improve the situation in the education and training market, giving young people a chance to acquire sound professional qualifications.
  
  In this sense, AEMtec stepped up its training program for young people on a variety of subjects in the autumn of 2003. Currently, AEMtec’s workforce includes a total of four apprentices, three of them to be trained as micro technologists in micro systems engineering and one, a commercial apprentice, for office communications. As Stefanie Jönsson put it: "work is diversified and exciting with a friendly working atmosphere."
  
  At the end of January 2004 our first apprentice successfully completed her professional training as a micro technologist in microsystems engineering. She was then employed as a micro technologist.
  
  If economic performance allows, AEMtec will create further apprenticeships in various areas.
  
  
  
• AEMtec at the Productronica 2003
  AEMTec was represented with its own stand for the first time at Productronica, the international specialised trade fair at the new exhibition centre in Munich.
  
  At this stand AEMtec was able to attract a large number of potential clients representing domestic and international companies from the automotive industry, industrial electronics and data communications. The trend towards electronic manufacturing services is clearly noticeable, driven among other things by the pressure of rising costs. Rising costs force our customers to look around for new manufacturing possibilities and production facilities.