Press release Ackermans & van Haaren NV Embargo until March 15

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(1)Press release Ackermans & van Haaren NV Embargo until March 15th 2007 – 8:00 a.m. Begijnenvest 113 – 2000 Antwerpen Tel.: 00-32-(0)3.231.87.70 - Fax 00-32-(0)3.225.25.33. www.avh.be. AvH and NPM enter into partnership on PLANET PARFUM, CLUB and DI Ackermans & van Haaren (through its 74% subsidiary Sofinim) and Distripar, subsidiary of the Nationale Portefeuillemaatschappij (NPM), have formed a partnership in the sector of specialized distribution. Sofinim will acquire from Distripar, 50% of a new company Distriplus, which in turn will own 100% of PLANET PARFUM and CLUB:  PLANET PARFUM is the no. 2 on the Belgian market for distribution of perfumes and cosmetics. With its 68 stores in Belgium and Luxemburg, it realized in 2006 a turnover of € 86 mio and an EBITDA of € 11 mio.  CLUB is a Belgian distributor of books and stationery, operating through its network of 26 stores. It realized in FY 2006 (11 months) a turnover of € 48 mio and an EBITDA of € 2 mio. An agreement has been concluded with the DELHAIZE Group for the acquisition by Distriplus of the DI chain of stores in beauty and body care, for an amount of about € 33 mio. Di currently realizes a turnover of € 95 mio through its Belgian network of 90 own and 42 franchised stores. The transactions will jointly represent an investment of about € 66 mio for Sofinim.. Ackermans & van Haaren is a diversified group active in 4 key sectors: dredging, environmental and construction services (DEME, one of the largest dredging companies in the world - Algemene Aannemingen Van Laere, a leading contractor in Belgium), Real Estate (Leasinvest Real Estate, a listed real-estate investment trust with real estate assets of approximately € 500 million – Extensa, an important land and real estate developer focused on Belgium and Luxemburg), private banking (Bank Delen, one of the largest independent private asset managers in Belgium – Bank J.Van Breda & C°, niche bank for entrepreneurs and liberal professions) and private equity (Sofinim, one of the largest private equity providers in Belgium, and GIB). The group concentrates on a limited number of strategic participations with an important potential for growth. Market capitalisation of AvH is over € 2 billion. As of March 2nd 2007, the AvH share has been included in the reference index BEL20 of Euronext Brussels. All press releases issued by AvH and its most important group companies as well as the ‘Investor Presentation’ can also be consulted on the AvH website: www.avh.be. Antwerpen, March 15th 2007 For further information please contact Jan Suykens Member of the Executive Committee tel: +32.3.897.92.36 e-mail : dirsec@avh.be. WorldReginfo - c6108348-2b06-448f-8007-82b226676c64. The completion of these transactions is subject to the approval of the European competition authorities..

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