Hightex Group Regulatory News (HTIG)

1 Nov 2007 07:00

Hightex Group PLC01 November 2007 Hightex Group plc ("Hightex") Contract win: stadium roof in Johannesburg for the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup Hightex is pleased to announce that it has signed a contract to provide themembrane roof as part of the upgrading of the First National Bank ("FNB")Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. The stadium, originally built in 1987, is the main home of the South AfricanFootball Association and it is expected to host the opening match as well asseveral first and second round matches, one quarter-final and the final match ofthe 2010 FIFA Football World Cup. In preparation for the tournament, the City of Johannesburg has decided toupgrade the Stadium, and to increase its capacity from the current 78,000 seatsto 104,000 seats. The architects, Boogertman Urban Edge & Partners and HOK, have designed aneye-catching new roof inspired by traditional African pottery. The structuralengineering will be executed by Schlaich, Bergermann and Partners. The designconcept includes a double layered membrane roof. Hightex, with its South African subsidiary Hightex Structures (Pty) Ltd, hasbeen selected to execute the detailed engineering, fabrication and installationof the membrane structure, providing a total area of over 50,000 square metresand using a state of the art technical solution with Fluorpolymer coated glassfabric membrane. The selected Fluorpolymer coated glass fabric membrane material is extremelydurable and allows light transmission to create a visually and acousticallycomfortable environment. It has a proven reliability track record over more than30 years, even under severe environmental conditions. Completion is scheduled for the beginning of 2009. The total contract volume for Hightex is around EUR 7 million. The Directors ofHightex expect that approximately EUR 1 million of this revenue will arise in2007, about EUR 5 million in 2008 and the balance in 2009. Hightex is also actively pursuing infrastructure and other major projects inSouth Africa and other African countries. The Directors believe that the FNBStadium in Johannesburg will serve as a catalyst for further projects in theregion, not only for its innovative membrane technology but also for the HightexGroup's advanced solar systems business. Charles DesForges, Chairman, stated that "Hightex Group is both honoured anddelighted to have been selected for such an iconic project and shares thispleasure with the host country, the first African nation chosen to host such asignificant international sporting event." Enquiries: Charles DesForges, Chairman 00 44 (0) 7799 626 238 Klaus Michael Koch, Chief Executive Officer 00 49 172 895 1400 Sindre Ottesen, Landsbanki Securities 00 44 (0) 207 426 9000 About Hightex Hightex has a long history of building large span roofs and facades usingarchitectural membranes, exemplified by the Abuja Stadium for the All AfricanGames in 2003 as well as the Berlin Stadium, Germany, used for the most recentFIFA World Cup Final in 2006. Last autumn Hightex completed the one of the largest membrane projects in theworld, designing and constructing the energy-saving, sound-optimised, triplelayer membrane roof for the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange