Gurit-Heberlein AG (CH-9630 Wattwil; www.gurit.com), a company specialised in the industrial technology and medical engineering fields, is acquiring the advanced composites business of AIK Industrie GmbH (D-34123 Kassel) through its Swiss subsidiary Stesalit AG (CH-4234 Zullwil; www.stesalit.com), with effect as of 1 March 2002. This division produces high-performance, fibre-reinforced polymers for the aviation industry and other high-tech applications, such as satellite receiver systems for space, and achieves sales of some EUR 8m with its 20 employees. The new addition to the company will continue operating at its present location, with its existing management, under the name AIK Elitrex.

The acquisition marks a further step in the consistent expansion of the material systems segment at Gurit-Heberlein´s Industrial Applications Division. Since selling its 50% holding in Gurit-Essex (Automotive Division) at the end of 2000 – see Plasteurope.com 21, 2000 – Gurit-Heberlein claims to have built up new strategic performers for a value of some CHF 100m. Overall, the company is expecting sales of CHF 35m for 2001 on the basis of provisional figures (like-for-like value for the previous year: CHF 295m) and a profit of around CHF 30 to 32m.