PARIS, May 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Saint-Gobain welcomes the decision of FINMA (Swiss financial
markets authority) which, following other positive decisions,
confirms Sika's articles of association and does not express any
reservations as regards the application of the opt-out clause in
the case of Saint-Gobain. This opt-out clause exempts Saint-Gobain
from launching a compulsory offer due to the acquisition of
Schenker-Winkler Holding (SWH).
FINMA's decision puts an end to the allegation relating to an abuse
of rights claimed by Sika.
This fourth favorable decision on the validity of the opt-out
clause confirms the legitimacy of the transaction between the
Burkard family and Saint-Gobain.
It reinforces Saint-Gobain's determination to complete an
industrial project that will allow Sika and Saint-Gobain to
increase their sales and profitability, thereby creating value for
all their shareholders.
The delaying tactics of certain Sika Board members with the sole
intention of deferring the closing of the transaction can only have
negative consequences for all Sika stakeholders: delay in the
implementation of the industrial logic, thus postponing the value
creation for all shareholders; prolonged insecurity for the
managers and the employees; extended uncertainties for customers
and suppliers.
The time has come to act in the best interest of all Sika
stakeholders and to start constructive discussions on the future
governance of the company. Saint-Gobain has been and will always be
open to such discussions with the Sika Board members.
ABOUT SAINT-GOBAIN
In 2015, Saint-Gobain is celebrating its
350th anniversary, 350 reasons to
believe in the future. Backed by its experience and its capacity to
continuously innovate, Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the
habitat and construction market, designs, manufactures and
distributes high-performance and building materials providing
innovative solutions to the challenges of growth, energy efficiency
and environmental protection. With 2014 sales of €41 billion,
Saint-Gobain operates in 64 countries and has over 180,000
employees. For more information about Saint-Gobain,
visit http://www.saint-gobain.com and
the twitter account @saintgobain or download
the "Saint-Gobain
Shareholder" application for tablet and
smartphone.
Analyst/Investor Relations
Gaetano Terrasini
+33-1-47-62-32-52
Vivien Dardel
+33-1-47-62-44-29
Marine Huet
+33-1-47-62-30-93
Media Relations
Sophie Chevallon
+33-1-47-62-30-48
Susanne Trabitzsch
+33-1-47-62-43-25
SOURCE Saint-Gobain