Nabaltec AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

27.09.2011 / 10:00

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabaltec AG: once again a finalist in the 'Entrepreneur of the Year, 2011'
competition

- Nabaltec reaches the final round of the 'Entrepreneur of the Year, 2011'
competition for the third time;
- economic prize recognizes innovativeness and personal commitment;
- 65 companies in the final round for the coveted prize;
- prize awarded on 23 September at the 'Alte Oper' opera house in
Frankfurt;


Schwandorf, 27 September 2011 - Impressive growth rates, high
innovativeness and social commitment: for the 15th time, the auditing and
consulting firm Ernst & Young is choosing the best mid-size companies in
Germany. After a strenuous, multi-phase selection process, 65 out of the
300 nominated companies have advanced to the final round of the
'Entrepreneur of the Year, 2011' competition, and Nabaltec AG is among
them. Management Board members Johannes Heckmann and Gerhard Witzany, both
of whom have been nominated, are very pleased to be back in the final round
this year: 'This distinction, as well as the fact that we have been able to
set multiple new records over the course of 2010, demonstrates that our
market position is intact and very strong,' said Johannes Heckmann about
reaching the final round.

'The entrepreneurial prize has been highly regarded for many years because
of its high criteria and prestigious jury,' said Wolfgang Glauner, the
competition's project manager.
The 65 finalists have distinguished themselves through especially high
innovativeness thanks to the hard work of their highly qualified and highly
motivated employees. They have efficient organizational structures with
quick decision-making processes, allowing them to respond flexibly to
changing market conditions.

'It's a strong field and therefore no easy task for the jurors,' explained
Wolfgang Glauner: an independent jury of well-known economic experts is
charged with selecting the 'Entrepreneurs of the Year, 2011' from among the
finalists. In each of the five categories, industry, commerce, services,
IT/media and start-up, one winner was announced and honored on 23 September
at the 'Alte Oper' opera house in Frankfurt before a distinguished
audience. Before the award ceremony, Professor Manfred Spitzer, one of
Europe's leading brain researchers, offered fascinating insight into recent
discoveries regarding the human brain and their practical relevance for
everyday life in an address titled 'Emotions, Money, Intellect and the
Brain: Neuroscience for Entrepreneurs'. 
Innovation as the Key to Success
The companies in the final round have demonstrated high growth rates. They
represent all major sectors of the economy and generate an average of EUR
86 million in revenues a year, with an average of 500 employees. They hired
around 2,600 new employees in 2010. Nabaltec AG's revenues were up 54.2% in
2010, to EUR 112.7 million, and its employee base increased by 6.6%, to
372.
'Innovation is a very important issue for our company. Our employees work
every day to implement new ideas and meet individual customer
specifications. At the same time, we have been able to demonstrate our
consistent quality and our reliability as a supplier to customers over the
past two years, which have been very eventful industry-wide. That is
helping us further improve our market position today', said Johannes
Heckmann, explaining the company's growth.

A key factor in the success of this year's finalists is the ability to
quickly respond to changing market conditions with innovative products and
services: these companies have invested above-average in innovation and are
therefore in a position to bring newly developed products to market quickly
and withstand the ongoing consolidation process in many sectors of the
economy. The entrepreneurs attribute their ability to successfully
implement innovations to their highly qualified and committed employees,
which is why training and professional development play a decisive role in
their companies.

About the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' Competition
Ernst & Young organizes the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' competition in 50
countries worldwide. In Germany, the award will be given for the 15th time
in 2011: a neutral jury chooses the winner in five different categories.
The award identifies and honors outstanding entrepreneurial achievement.
The competition is held with support from renowned companies and media
outlets like DZ BANK, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Manager Magazin.

In addition to recognizing successful entrepreneurs today, Ernst & Young
has also set out to promote the next generation of entrepreneurs by
creating the 'Entrepreneur of the Year Junior Academy.'
 



About Nabaltec AG:
Nabaltec AG, with registered office in Schwandorf, a chemicals business
which has received multiple awards for innovativeness, manufactures,
develops and distributes highly specialized products based on aluminum
hydroxide ('ATH') and aluminum oxide, as well as other raw materials, on an
industrial scale through its 'Functional Fillers' and 'Technical Ceramics'
divisions. The company's product range includes halogen-free flame
retardant fillers and eco-friendly additives for the plastics industry.
Flame retardant fillers are used e.g. in cables in tunnels, airports,
high-rise buildings and electronic devices, while additives replace
stabilizers containing heavy metals in PVC processing. Nabaltec also
produces base materials for use in technical ceramics, the refractory
industry and catalysis. Unlike halogenated flame retardant fillers, the
products manufactured by the company's 'Functional Fillers' division
contain no hazardous substances and do not require separate disposal.
Rather, the company's flame retardant fillers actually decrease the
development of fumes hazardous to human health and the environment in the
event of fire. Nabaltec maintains production sites in Germany and the US
and plans to continue to consolidate its market position by expanding
capacity, further optimizing processes and quality and making strategic
extensions to its product range. On the strength of its specialty products,
the company strives to attain the market leadership in each segment.

Contact:
Marina Fuchs      
Nabaltec AG      
Phone: +49 9431 53-205    
Fax: +49 9431 53-203     
E-mail: mfuchs@nabaltec.de    

Frank Ostermair
Better Orange IR & HV AG
Phone: +49 89 8896906-14
Fax: +49 89 8896906-66
E-mail: frank.ostermair@better-orange.de


End of Corporate News

---------------------------------------------------------------------

27.09.2011 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de

---------------------------------------------------------------------


Language:    English                                                 
Company:     Nabaltec AG                                             
             Alustraße 50-52                                         
             92421 Schwandorf                                        
             Germany                                                 
Phone:       +49 9431 53-0                                           
Fax:         +49 9431 53-260                                         
E-mail:      info @nabaltec.de                                       
Internet:    www.nabaltec.de                                         
ISIN:        DE000A0KPPR7, DE000A1EWL99                              
WKN:         A0KPPR, A1EWL9                                          
Listed:      Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart;  
             Entry Standard in Frankfurt                             
 
 
End of News    DGAP News-Service  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
140433 27.09.2011