29.04.09
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EnviTec Biogas to pay first-ever dividend

- Preliminary figures confirmed - Very sound financial situation - Strong growth planned for 2009

Lohne, 29 April 2009 – EnviTec Biogas AG [ISIN: DE000A0MVLS8] has successfully mastered the fiscal year 2008, which was a very difficult year for the biogas industry. The biogas plant manufacturer is profitable, soundly financed and intends to boost its sales and earnings again in 2009. The company plans to distribute the first-ever dividend to its shareholders for the year 2008. The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board will propose a dividend of EUR 0.30 per share to the Annual General Meeting on 25 June 2009. “Over the past years, EnviTec Biogas has become the leader among Europe’s biogas plant manufacturers,” said Jörg Fischer, CFO of EnviTec Biogas. “We want to give our shareholders a share in this success in the form of a dividend.”

The final figures confirm the preliminary result for the fiscal year 2008, which was marked by uncertainty about the amendment of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and high agricultural commodity prices, which presented major challenges to all market participants. Thanks to lean structures and early, successful internationalisation, EnviTec Biogas has been able to master this difficult phase and to expand its industry leading position. Sales revenues for the first six months amounted to only approx. EUR 30 million but rose to EUR 101.1 million for the full year (previous year: EUR 132.4 million). International sales soared 202% from EUR 8.2 million in 2007 to EUR 24.8 million in 2008. EnviTec Biogas was profitable despite difficult market conditions. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to EUR 3.2 million (previous year: EUR 18.1 million), while consolidated net profit totalled EUR 5.8 million (previous year: EUR 14.4 million). This represents earnings per share of EUR 0.38 (previous year: EUR 1.79). The headcount increased from 279 to 307 people in 2008.

Now that the legal framework for the feed-in compensation for electricity from biogas has been redefined, EnviTec Biogas intends to return to the growth path in 2009. The company expects sales to grow at a clearly double digit rate to EUR 150 to 200 million in the current fiscal year. The earnings position should also improve against the previous year. 

Germany will remain the most important market. The German Biogas Association estimates that 760 plants will be connected to the grid in 2009, which would be three times the number of 2007. But exports will also gain importance. “We made inroads into many new countries in the past years. In 2009, we will concentrate on developing these markets,” said Olaf von Lehmden, CEO of EnviTec Biogas. The company will also expand its own plant operations, which are expected to make a major contribution to the Group’s sales and earnings growth. EnviTec plans to invest between EUR 40 and 60 million in own plant operations in 2009 alone in order to benefit even more from the reliable cash flows generated by this business segment.

The 2008 Annual Report is available on the Internet at www.envitec-biogas.de.

EnviTec Biogas AG covers the entire value chain for the production of biogas - including the planning and turnkey construction of biogas plants as well as their commissioning. The company provides the biological and technical service and also offers the full plant and operating management. In Güstrow, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, EnviTec builds the world’s largest plant for the production of biogas to natural gas standards with an electrical connected load of 22 megawatts. In addition, the company also operates its own biogas plants. Today, the company is represented in more than 15 countries throughout Europe and as well in China and South Korea. In 2008 EnviTec generated revenues of EUR 101 million and EBIT of EUR 3.2 million. The EnviTec Group currently has about 350 employees. Since July 2007 EnviTec is listed on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Investor Relations: 
Olaf Brandes
EnviTec Biogas AG
Tel: +49 44 42 80 65-118
E-Mail: ir@envitec-biogas.de

Press Contact:
Fabian Lorenz, Grit Pauli
HOSCHKE & CONSORTEN Public Relations GmbH
Tel: +49 40 36 90 50- 56 /-31
E-Mail: f.lorenz@hoschke.de; g.pauli@hoschke.de


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EnviTec Biogas AG

Administration
Industriering 10a
D-49393 Lohne

T +49 (0) 44 42 / 8016 - 8100
F
+49 (0) 44 42 / 8016 - 98100

info@envitec-biogas.com

EnviTec Biogas AG
Sales & Implementation
Boschstraße 2
D-48369 Saerbeck

T +49 (0) 25 74 / 88 88 - 0
F +49 (0) 25 74 / 88 88 - 800

info@envitec-biogas.com