ATON GmbH acquires 10.1% equity interest in Dürr AG

Stuttgart - ATON GmbH, Fulda, has notified us that it holds 10.1% of the shares of Dürr AG. The investment company, founded by entrepreneur Dr. Lutz Helmig, is now Dürr's second largest shareholder. The Heinz Dürr family, which still owns 44.2% of the share capital via Heinz Dürr GmbH and the foundation Heinz und Heide Dürr-Stiftung, continues to be the largest shareholder of Dürr AG.

ATON acquired 5.0% of the shares of Dürr AG from Süd-Kapitalbeteiligungs-Gesellschaft mbH, a subsidiary of Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, whose ownership interest in Dürr is now 5.0%. ATON acquired the other 5.1% from Kreissparkasse Biberach.

ATON GmbH, which was established in 2001 and is wholly owned by the Dr.
Helmig family, currently has interests in eleven firms in the areas of applied technology, natural resources and services. The largest affiliate in terms of sales is EDAG AG (2006 sales: EUR 507 million), which is active in the areas of automobile development, manufacturing technology and aerospace.
EDAG AG and Dürr AG collaborate on specific projects in the aerospace sector. 

Ralf Dieter, CEO of Dürr AG, commented on the changes in the shareholder
structure: 'We welcome the change in the circle of shareholders. We can certainly profit from the know-how and experience of an industrial holding company which is active in a wide range of sectors.'