Gerresheimer has passed the turning point

Düsseldorf (ots) -

- Cross reference: Press release including Group Key Figures is
available at http://www.presseportal.de/dokumente -

- Nine-month sales (excluding Technical Plastics) 1.7% down on prior
year
- EBITDA margin at high level of 17.2%
- As expected, third quarter marked by inventory reductions by large
customers

In the first nine months of the financial year (December 2008 -
August 2009), Gerresheimer AG achieved sales of EUR 744.3m (prior
year EUR 783.4m). Excluding the Technical Plastics business which has
been sold, sales totaled EUR 714.9m, a reduction of 1.7% compared
with the prior year. The corresponding operating margin (adjusted
EBITDA) for the first three quarters continued on a high level at
17.9%. In Gerresheimer's key market of pharmaceutics, long-term
demand is stable although some pharma customers have continued to
reduce their inventory levels. The cosmetics sales which accounts for
only 10% of total Group sales remained weak as expected. For the
fourth quarter, Gerresheimer expects an increase in demand for pharma
packaging and a slight recovery in the cosmetics business. It has
accordingly quantified more precisely the outlook for the full
financial year 2009. Organic growth in the fourth quarter will be
offset by the weak dollar exchange rate. For the full year a small
sales decline of between 1.5% and 2.5% and an operating margin
(adjusted EBITDA) of around 18.5% are expected.

"The trend in the pharma business continues to be characterized by
long-term growth. We are successfully pushing ahead with the
consistent orientation of the Gerresheimer Group as a leading global
partner for the pharma industry," says Dr. Axel Herberg, CEO of
Gerresheimer AG. "Our latest investments - particularly in the growth
market of pharma plastics - reflect this."

The importance of the Plastic Systems Division, which grew by over
5% at constant exchange rates during the first three quarters, is
also shown by the two recent investments. In September 2009
Gerresheimer opened a new Research and Development Center for Medical
Plastic Systems in the USA and a new Production Center for Plastic
Packaging in Spain.

Group sales for the third quarter were as expected down on the
prior year level of EUR 268.0m at EUR 242.6m. Excluding Technical
Plastics, sales totaled EUR 236.9m, a decline of 5.3% against the
prior year level. In the generally stable pharma segment some
customers used the summer months to carry out further inventory
reductions. In the cosmetics and life science segments, sales fell
substantially because of weak demand. Operationally, Gerresheimer
performed well in the third quarter. Adjusted EBITDA excluding
Technical Plastics came to EUR 41.6m. Thanks to capacity and cost
adjustments it was possible to hold the operating margin at the high
level of 17.6%.

Outlook: the turning point has been passed

Thanks to rising demand and falling inventories, slight growth is
expected for the pharma business in the fourth quarter. In the
cosmetics business a slight improvement in demand is also evident,
while in the Life Science Research segment no real recovery is
foreseeable. For the financial year 2009, Gerresheimer has quantified
more precisely the outlook last given in July 2009. For the full
financial year the company assumes a slight sales decline of 1.5% to
2.5% and an operating margin (adjusted EBITDA) of around 18.5%. For
the full financial year 2009 a total investment volume of around EUR
85 - 90m is expected.

"Thanks to our pharma orientation and very early capacity
adjustments and cost reduction measures, our business is stable. We
see indications that the turning point has already been passed in the
third quarter," Herberg says.

About Gerresheimer

Gerresheimer employs around 10,000 people in 40 locations in
Europe, America and Asia. In the financial year 2008, worldwide sales
totaled EUR 1.06bn. The product portfolio ranges from pharmaceutical
vials made of glass and plastic through to complex drug-delivery
systems for the pharma industry. These include sterile syringes,
inhalers and other system-based approaches for safe dosage and
application of medications. The Group enjoys a leading position in
markets which are characterized by high technical and regulatory
barriers.

Originaltext: Gerresheimer AG
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ISIN: DE000A0LD6E6

Contact Press:
Burkhard Lingenberg
Director Corporate Communication & Marketing
Phone +49 211 6181-250
Fax +49 211 6181-241
e-mail b.lingenberg@gerresheimer.com

Contact Investor Relations
Anke Linnartz
Director Corporate Investor Relations
Phone +49 211 6181-314
Fax +49 211 6181-121
e-mail a.linnartz@gerresheimer.com