Moody´s upgrades Dürr rating

09/16/2008

Stuttgart, September 16, 2008 – Moody´s has raised Dürr AG’s corporate rating from B2 to B1 with stable outlook. The rating for Dürr’s € 200 million corporate bond has improved from Caa1 to B3. Main triggers for the upgrades were the conclusion of a € 440 million syndicated loan last week and the capital increase in June. These two measures have further increased Dürr’s financial scope. In view of the redemption of an initial 50% of the corporate bond that Dürr has announced for October Moody’s
expects a reduction in the mechanical and plant engineering company’s interest expense. The rating agency also assumes that Dürr will continue its positive operating performance despite the weaker economic environment.

Moody´s had held out the prospect of an upgrade to B1 in June. Before the announcement Dürr had just raised proceeds of € 44 million with a capital increase of almost 10%.

Dürr’s CFO Ralph Heuwing commented: “We see the prompt upgrade directly after the conclusion of the syndicated loan as confirmation. At the end of the year we aim to achieve a positive net financial position which should have a beneficial effect on our financing terms. In our operating business we will continue to focus on cash generation.”

The Dürr Group is a supplier of plant and equipment that commands leading global market positions in its areas of activity. Business with the automotive industry accounts for about 85% of its sales. Dürr also supplies innovative manufacturing and environmental technologies for the aircraft, mechanical engineering, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The Dürr Group operates in the market through two divisions. The Paint and Assembly Systems division supplies production and painting technologies, mainly for automotive body & chassis manufacturing. The equipment and systems supplied by the Measuring and Process Systems division are used, among other things, for engine and transmission production and for final vehicle assembly. Dürr achieved sales of close to € 1.5 billion with approximately 6,000 employees in 2007. Dürr is present in 47 locations in 21 countries around the world.

Contact:

Dürr Aktiengesellschaft                              

Günter Dielmann / Mathias Christen

Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

Phone +49 (0)711 136-1785 / -1381

Fax +49 (0)711 136-1716                         

E-mail corpcom@durr.com

 

 


 

Dürr AG
Corporate Communications und Investor Relations
Günter Dielmann
Telefon +49 711 136-1785
Telefax +49 711 136-1034


corpcom(at)durr.com