Bosch Publishes Tender Offer To Sia Abrasives Shareholders

STUTTGART / Frauenfeld – November 19: Scintilla AG, Solothurn, published today the pre-announced tender offer for all publicly held shares of sia Abrasives Holding AG, Frauenfeld. The offer period starts today, Wednesday, November 19, and is expected to end on December 16, 2008. Scintilla AG is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany. The offer price amounts to 435 Swiss francs per share in cash representing a premium of approx. 80 Swiss francs or 22.7 percent to the closing share price on August 25, 2008, the day prior to the publication of the pre-announcement by Behr Deflandre & Snozzi BDS AG.

The Board of Directors of sia Abrasives Holding AG unanimously endorses the offer by Scintilla AG and recommends all shareholders to tender their shares into the offer.

Ahead of today's launch of the public offer, Scintilla AG has received clearance from the competition authorities in Germany, Italy and Austria for the takeover of sia Abrasives Holding AG. All relevant clearances for the consummation of the offer have therefore been received.

Furthermore, the share purchase agreement with Behr Bircher Cellpack BBC AG for approx. 40 percent of the shares in sia Abrasives Holding AG was consummated on November 17, 2008.

Since the announcement of the tender offer on October 2, 2008 Scintilla AG has acquired 155,463 shares of sia Abrasives Holding AG through market purchases. Hence Scintilla AG holds in total approx. 60 percent of the shares and voting rights of sia Abrasives Holding AG.

As of November 17, 2008, the Board of Directors of sia Abrasives Holding AG has recorded Scintilla AG as shareholder with voting rights for approx. 60 percent of all outstanding shares in sia Abrasives Holding AG's share register.