Empresas y finanzas

PPG Submits Offer to Acquire SigmaKalon for Approximately EUR 2.2 Billion



    PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) today announced an offer to purchase
    SigmaKalon Group, a worldwide coatings producer based in Uithoorn,
    Netherlands, from global private investment firm Bain Capital. The
    total transaction value, including assumed debt, is EUR 2.2 billion.
    Bain Capital has granted a period of exclusivity to PPG Industries and
    intends to respond to the offer after discussions with appropriate
    employee representative bodies. Should Bain Capital accept the offer,
    the acquisition would be subject to customary conditions, including
    receipt of regulatory approval.

    Charles E. Bunch, chairman and chief executive officer, and
    William H. Hernandez, senior vice president, finance, and chief
    financial officer, will hold a conference call today at 1:30 p.m. ET
    to review details of the proposed acquisition. To access the call,
    dial (800) 230-1951 in the U.S. or (612) 332-0107 internationally,
    participant code 881432.

    SigmaKalon is a global producer of architectural, protective,
    marine and industrial coatings, and a leading coatings supplier in
    many parts of Europe and other key national markets across the globe,
    with an increasing presence in Africa and Asia. SigmaKalon sells
    architectural coatings directly to professional painters via a network
    of service centers, and it maintains a network of approximately 500
    company-owned stores and approximately 3,000 independent wholesalers
    that give it direct access to customers.

    SigmaKalon was created in 1999 from the merger of Total's Kalon
    Group and PetroFina's Sigma Coatings, and it was acquired in 2003 by
    Bain Capital. Sales have increased from approximately EUR 1.7 billion
    in 2003 to approximately EUR 2 billion in 2006.

    "The SigmaKalon business has performed well financially and would
    be a strong complement to our existing coatings businesses," said
    Charles E. Bunch, chairman and chief executive officer of PPG. "It
    would give us an excellent footprint in the European architectural
    coatings segment, where today we have very nominal participation. This
    acquisition would give us a more balanced coatings business in Europe,
    approximately doubling our European sales, and expand our global
    coatings portfolio by more than 40 percent."

    Bunch added that the acquisition would also strengthen PPG's
    participation in higher growth markets, such as Southern and Central
    Europe, Africa and Asia, and fits well with PPG's growing presence in
    protective and marine coatings, spurred by several other recent
    acquisitions.

    Bunch said PPG's disciplined approach to mergers and acquisitions
    and its strong track record in acquisition integration will serve it
    well with the SigmaKalon transition.

    "This is an excellent acquisition opportunity for us," Bunch said.
    "It fits perfectly with our strategies, and from both geographic and
    end-use market perspectives, it would enhance PPG's ability to
    continue to drive profitable growth, with the end result of increasing
    shareholder value."

    Michael H. McGarry, vice president, coatings, and managing
    director, PPG Europe, said, "PPG remains committed to ensuring that
    both our customers and SigmaKalon's customers continue to receive
    excellent performance in quality products and services while we work
    through the contemplated integration of the businesses. In fact, we
    believe this proposed acquisition will enhance our ability to meet the
    needs of all of our coatings customers."

    Lazard is acting as financial advisor to PPG Industries.

    About PPG

    Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings,
    chemicals, optical products, specialty materials, glass and fiber
    glass. The company employs more than 34,000 people and has 125
    manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in more than 25
    countries. Sales in 2006 were $11 billion. PPG shares are traded on
    the New York and Philadelphia stock exchanges (symbol: PPG). For more
    information, visit www.ppg.com.

    About Bain Capital

    Bain Capital (www.baincapital.com) is a global private investment
    firm that manages several pools of capital including private equity,
    venture capital, public equity and leveraged debt assets with
    approximately $50 billion in total assets under management. Since its
    inception in 1984, Bain Capital has made private equity investments
    and add-on acquisitions in over 240 companies around the world
    including such industrial and consumer products manufacturing
    companies as Brenntag, FCI, Sealy, Bombardier Recreational Products,
    Novacap, Innophos, Boart Longyear and FCI. Headquartered in Boston,
    Bain Capital has offices in London, New York, Munich, Tokyo, Hong Kong
    and Shanghai.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this news release relating to matters that are not
    historical facts are forward-looking statements reflecting the
    company's current view with respect to future events or objectives and
    financial or operational performance or results. These matters involve
    risks and uncertainties as discussed in PPG Industries' periodic
    reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, and its current reports on Form
    8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly,
    many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the
    company's forward-looking statements.

    Among these factors are increasing price and product competition
    by foreign and domestic competitors, fluctuations in cost and
    availability of raw materials and energy, the ability to maintain
    favorable supplier relationships and arrangements, economic and
    political conditions in international markets, foreign exchange rates
    and fluctuations in such rates, the impact of environmental
    regulations, unexpected business disruptions and the unpredictability
    of possible future litigation, including litigation that could result
    if the asbestos settlement discussed in PPG's filings with the SEC
    does not become effective. However, it is not possible to predict or
    identify all such factors. Consequently, while the list of factors
    presented here is considered representative, no such list should be
    considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and
    uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional
    obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements.

    Consequences of material differences in results as compared with
    those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include,
    among other things, business disruption, operational problems,
    financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks,
    any of which could have a material adverse effect on PPG's
    consolidated financial condition, operations or liquidity.