Amsterdam, 30 August 2010 — AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. („AMG“, EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: „AMG“) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire significant antimony mining rights and an adjacent antimony metal smelter in Turkey for a total investment of up to approximately $20 million, including the assumption of certain liabilities, other operational improvements, and options to acquire additional mining rights. The acquisition is subject to certain regulatory approvals and is expected to be closed within 30 days.
The strategic rationale of the acquisition is to secure supply of antimony metal used in AMG’s antimony trioxide operation for the specialty chemical flame retardant market. AMG is the largest producer of antimony trioxide in Europe, processing over 10,000 tons of antimony metal per annum. In June 2010, the European Commission identified antimony as one of 14 critical raw materials for the European Union.
AMG expects that the acquisition will contribute substantially to increasing the profitability and cash generation of AMG’s antimony trioxide business as the supply of antimony metal, particularly from China, has become increasingly restricted.
One of AMG’s objectives is to reduce the volatility inherent in its specialty material portfolio by optimizing its position in the various value chains, including upstream integration wherever cost leadership can be obtained. In 2010 AMG has expanded its tantalum and niobium mine in Brazil, and successfully produced chemical grade lithium concentrate from its pilot plant at the same mine. This is a continuation of AMG’s multi-mineral strategy to create incremental products and revenues from existing resources.
About AMG
AMG creates and applies innovative metallurgical solutions to the global trend of sustainable development of natural resources and CO2 reduction. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metal products and advanced vacuum furnace systems for the Energy, Aerospace, Infrastructure and Specialty Metals and Chemicals end markets. AMG consists of two operating divisions, Advanced Materials and Engineering Systems, and owns interests in publicly-listed companies Graphit Kropfmühl AG (Deutsche Börse: GKR.DE) and Timminco Limited (TSX: „TIM“).
The Advanced Materials Division develops and produces specialty metals, alloys and high performance materials. AMG is a significant producer of specialty metals, such as ferrovanadium, ferronickel-molybdenum, aluminum master alloys and additives, chromium metal and ferrotitanium, for Energy, Aerospace, Infrastructure and Specialty Metal and Chemicals applications. Other key products include specialty alloys for titanium and superalloys, coating materials, tantalum and niobium oxides, vanadium chemicals and antimony trioxide.
The Engineering Systems Division designs, engineers and produces advanced vacuum furnace systems and operates vacuum heat treatment facilities, primarily for the Aerospace and Energy (including solar and nuclear) industries. Furnace systems produced by AMG include vacuum remelting, solar silicon melting and crystallization, vacuum induction melting, vacuum heat treatment and high pressure gas quenching, turbine blade coating and sintering. AMG also provides vacuum case-hardening heat treatment services on a tolling basis.
Graphit Kropfmühl AG is a majority controlled, publicly listed subsidiary of AMG. Based on its secure raw material sources in Africa, China and Europe, Graphit Kropfmühl is a specialist in the production of silicon metal and the extraction, processing and refining of natural crystalline graphite for a wide range of energy saving industrial applications.
Timminco Limited is a publicly listed affiliate of AMG. Timminco produces silicon metal for the chemical, aluminum, electronic and solar industries. Timminco also produces solar grade silicon, using its proprietary technology for purifying silicon metal, for the solar energy industry.
With over 2,300 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Sri Lanka and also has sales and customer service offices in Belgium, Russia, China and Japan (www.amg-nv.com).
For further information please contact:
AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 975 4901
Jonathan Costello
Vice President of Corporate Communications
jcostello@amg-nv.com
Disclaimer
Certain statements in this press release are not historical facts and are „forward looking.“ Forward looking statements include statements concerning AMG’s plans, expectations, projections, objectives, targets, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans and intentions relating to acquisitions, AMG’s competitive strengths and weaknesses, plans or goals relating to forecasted production, reserves, financial position and future operations and development, AMG’s business strategy and the trends AMG anticipates in the industries and the political and legal environment in which it operates and other information that is not historical information. When used in this press release, the words „expects,“ „believes,“ „anticipates,“ „plans,“ „may,“ „will,“ „should,“ and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, are intended to identify forward looking statements. By their very nature, forward looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward looking statements will not be achieved. These forward looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. AMG expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in AMG’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any forward looking statement is based.