[February 19, 2008]

GAUSSIN strengthens its position in the energy and transport markets by acquiring a 43 % holding in METALLIANCE

(Market Wire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) BELVERNE, FRANCE, February 19 / MARKET WIRE/ --

GAUSSIN (March? Libre - FR0010342329) has signed a final memorandum of understanding for acquisition of a 43 % holding by capital increase subscription in METALLIANCE (March? Libre - FR0010492181), a company specialising in the design and production of handling equipment and systems.

METALLIANCE, offering a large range of customized handling equipment.

Founded in 1970 and based in Sa?ne et Loire (71), METALLIANCE is a group which specialises in the design, manufacture and marketing of handling equipment for three extremely buoyant world markets:

- The market in transport infrastructure construction (motorways, LGVs, underground railways, tramways, airports, tunnels),

- The market in energy (offshore, nuclear, etc) and networks (electricity, oil, gas, hydraulics, etc)

- The market in raw materials and their conversion (mines and quarries, cement factories, the steel industry, glassworks, etc.)

METALLIANCE offers six product lines: tyred trains, multifunction robots, mobile feeders, extenders, vibrating handling systems, and tracked vehicles with very low ground pressure.

METALLIANCE is also a specialist in complex and large-scale welded units.

For 2007 as a whole, METALLIANCE saw its turnover increase by 50% to EUR 24.5 M, and its development has accelerated since its appearance on the Euronext Paris March? Libre on 2 October 2007.

A promising partnership thanks to complementary technological, industrial and international sales factors

The two companies have identical characteristics: their core businesses, their competitive advantages and their key factors for success .

They share the same strategic vision, and the same approach in terms of managerial style and allocation of resources.

The capital partnership between GAUSSIN and METALLIANCE will quickly lead to a close collaboration in technological, sales and industrial terms.

METALLIANCE will provide GAUSSIN with a new technology, that of tracked systems with very low ground pressure, a technology which GAUSSIN will be able to introduce into its entire range, currently specialising in wheeled handling systems.

In commercial terms, GAUSSIN will provide M?talliance with its international commercial networks, particularly in the Middle East and Europe, territories in which GAUSSIN is very well established. In industrial terms, METALLIANCE will not only be able to produce vehicles for GAUSSIN, but also provide all its expertise in terms of robotic assembly, in particular during the service launch of the industrial site which Gaussin has recently set up in Dubai.

The two companies will also work together with regard to their purchases and supplies policy.

This acquisition of holding is being funded in cash by the GAUSSIN group, for an amount of 3 million euros, and METALLIANCE's accounts will be consolidated using the proportional consolidation method."

"This acquisition of holding is an excellent opportunity. There is no redundancy of products or services, everything is complementary. I am very happy with this agreement, which will allow us to accelerate our growth and our current programmes, and will open our Group to new development perspectives", states Christophe GAUSSIN, Chairman of the Group.

"We are extremely proud of the interest shown in us by a Group with the reputation of GAUSSIN, which we know very well. We are already set to work together, and I am firmly convinced of the motivation of my staff to develop new business with GAUSSIN", declares Jean Claude Cothenet, Chairman and Managing Director of METALLIANCE.

About GAUSSIN

GAUSSIN MANUGISTIQUE? specialises in auditing handling procedures and the production of wheeled systems for the delivery and transportation of heavy, large or delicate loads. Founded over one hundred years ago, GAUSSIN, with more than 50,000 handling vehicles across the world, enjoys a strong reputation in the three booming markets of Energy, Transport and Raw Materials.

In 2007, GAUSSIN MANUGISTIQUE recorded a turnover of EUR 17.1 M, up 372 %.

GAUSSIN MANUGISTIQUE? has been quoted on the Euronext Paris March? Libre since July 2006.

Contacts

Christophe GAUSSIN

info@gaussin.com

03.84.46.13.45

Nicolas MEUNIER

nmeunier@actifin.fr

01.56.88.11.11

Find full information on GAUSSIN on the new website:

www.gaussin.com

This information is provided by HUGIN

Copyright ? 2008 Market Wire, Incorporated

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