EQT acquires Tradex

EQT Scandinavia (“EQT”), has, through a newly established holding company,
acquired Tradex Converting AB, the word-leading supplier of self-adhesive
components and associated assembly systems for the mobile phone industry. The
founders and the National Insurance Pension Fund, Sixth Fund Board, will
remain minority shareholders in the new company.

Tradex, headquartered in Kungälv, Sweden, develops, produces and markets
advanced self-adhesive components and associated functional application
systems to improve and simplify the assembly of mobile phones. The Company has
a close co-operation with the largest mobile phone manufacturers and is
leading the development of advanced solutions to meet the demanding challenges
of assembling increasingly complex and smaller mobile phones. Tradex is
technology driven and employs approximately 300 persons with offices and
manufacturing facilities in Sweden, USA and China. The Company, with expected
turnover 2000 of approximately SEK 500 million, has grown by an average of 75%
per year the last three years.

Tradex is a well-managed business with very exciting growth prospects. The
company has an impressive track record, a global leadership position and a
reputation for product quality. In developing Tradex further, EQT will draw on
its extensive experiences of the mobile phone supplier industry from its
investments in Perlos (leading producer of precision plastic parts for the
mobile phone and pharmaceutical sectors) and Salcomp (leading producer of
battery-chargers for mobile phone batteries).

Mr. Richard Mattus, managing director of Tradex, states in connection with
reaching the agreement “We are very pleased to have the support of EQT at
this time in our development. Given EQT’s very successful engagement in this
industry, we are confident that Tradex, under EQT’s ownership, will
strengthen its market position and opportunities as we continue to expand. We
are committed to working with EQT in aggressively growing and developing
Tradex in this fast-growing and dynamic industry.”

Mr. Claes Dahlbäck, chairman of EQT, adds, “Tradex, with its impressive
market position and superior solutions, has considerable development
prospects. EQT intends to invest in and build the Company’s product offering
and manufacturing capabilities further, with the aspiration to strengthen
Tradex’ position as the leader in the growing segment for self-adhesive
assembly solutions for electronic hand-held devices.”

EQT is a group of private equity funds with equity commitments totalling
SEK 11 billion. Since its inception in 1994, EQT has successfully concluded
investments in 22 companies. EQT Partners AB, acting as investment advisor to
all EQT funds, has offices in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Munich. EQT
realises its business concept by acquiring high quality medium sized companies
in Northern Europe and serving as an active owner in close co-operation with
the management of the companies it acquires.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Claes Dahlbäck, chairman, EQT Scandinavia B.V.:
+31-20-577 66 57

Mr. Jan Ståhlberg, partner, EQT Partners AB:
+46-8-440 53 07

Mr. Richard Mattus, managing director, Tradex Converting AB:
+46-303-20 66 00
www.tradex-converting.com

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