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ASTRAPAK LIMITED - Disposal of the business of Hilfort Plastics Cape Town - APK /APKP

Release Date: 18/06/2014 16:34
Code(s): APK APKP     PDF:  
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Disposal of the business of Hilfort Plastics Cape Town - APK /APKP

Astrapak Limited
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number: 1995/009169/06)
Share Code: APK
ISIN: ZAE000096962
Share Code: APKP
ISIN: ZAE000087201
("Astrapak")

DISPOSAL OF THE BUSINESS OF HILFORT PLASTICS CAPE TOWN

1. INTRODUCTION

    Shareholders are hereby advised that Astrapak has entered into an agreement on the 12th of
    June 2014 with Boxmore Plastics SA (Proprietary) Limited ("the Purchaser"), in terms of which,
    if successfully implemented, Astrapak will dispose of its Hilfort Plastics Cape Town business
    ("Hilfort Cape Town") to the Purchaser ("the Transaction").

2. THE BUSINESS OF HILFORT CAPE TOWN

    Hilfort Cape Town operates in and around Cape Town and manufactures and sells
    predominantly PET rigid plastic containers (bottles and jars) and accompanying closures to a
    wide range of markets including the food, beverage, wine and chemical industries.

3. THE RATIONALE FOR THE DISPOSAL

    The PET market remains highly competitive, the fundamentals continue changing rapidly and to
    remain sustainable the single most important factor is operational scale. The trend of
    customers moving in-house to blow their own bottles and consolidating filling facilities in terms
    of centres of excellence continues to further reduce the scope of volume available to
    converters. This is more pronounced in the Western Cape where the industry is relatively small
    in relation to the Gauteng region. Hilfort Cape Town has been impacted significantly by these
    factors and has underperformed relative to Astrapak's other Rigid operations for some time.

    The Transaction will ensure continuity of supply to the customer base in the Western Cape
    region and will allow for the Purchaser to consolidate this business into their Western Cape
    operation, thereby enhancing and securing scale and the sustainability of their own operation in
    the region.

    The Transaction will enhance the financial performance of Astrapak following the
    implementation.

4. CATEGORISATION OF TRANSACTION

    The Transaction falls below the requirements for a "category transaction" in terms of the
    Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited ("JSE") and this SENS announcement is therefore
    voluntary.

5. PURCHASE CONSIDERATION

    The purchase consideration payable by the Purchaser to Astrapak shall be discharged by the
    Purchaser by paying the purchase consideration in cash into the Astrapak's nominated bank
    account by the effective date as outlined below.

6. EFFECTIVE DATE

    In terms of the sale agreement, the effective date of the Transaction will be the latter of 1 July
    2014 and the second business day following the date upon which the last of the suspensive
    conditions are fulfilled.

7. SUSPENSIVE CONDITIONS

    The Transaction is still subject to a number of suspensive conditions, including the requisite
    approvals of any regulatory authorities which are required to implement the Transaction as
    contemplated.

8. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

    Save for information as set out in this announcement, the Purchaser and Astrapak have
    provided warranties and indemnities to each other that are standard to a transaction of this
    nature.


Johannesburg
18 June 2014

Sponsor
RAND MERCHANT BANK (a division of FirstRand Bank Limited)

Date: 18/06/2014 04:34:00 Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited ('JSE'). 
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