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The MCH Group (previously MCH Swiss Exhibition) achieved the
second-best result in the group's history in 2008. And this despite
the fact that a number of the big exhibitions were not scheduled to
come round in 2008 and hence did not feature on the events calendar
by comparison to the record year of 2007. The optimisation of the
"Basel Exhibition Center 2012" project will ensure that the set
targets can be achieved, although the completion date will have to be
postponed until 2013.


The MCH Group achieved an outstanding operating result in 2008 once
again, with the consolidated result standing at CHF 336.4 million
(2007: CHF 338.7 million / 2006: CHF 218.1 million) for a cash flow
of CHF 64.7 million (2007: CHF 87.9 million / 2006: CHF 48.3
million). Following depreciations amounting to CHF 37.5 million, this
resulted in a group profit of CHF 27.2 million (2007: CHF 45.7
million / 2006: CHF 13.8 million). Investments totalling CHF 49.4
million were made, with CHF 19.7 million of this accounted for by the
"Basel Exhibition Center 2012" construction project.

The consolidated total assets at the end of the year under review
were CHF 520.7 million, with borrowed capital of CHF 313.3 million
and equity capital of CHF 207.4 million. The equity ratio has thus
now risen to 39.8%.

Gratifying course of business

This result can be attributed to a gratifying course of business in
all the group's business fields. Making allowance for the irregular
exhibition schedules, the results are in the region of the record
values for the previous year. In the MCH Exhibitions business field,
a number of the big exhibitions, such as Swissbau and Igeho, did not
come round in 2008. The corresponding reduction in sales by
comparison to the previous year, however, was largely offset by the
additional income generated by services we were able to sell at the
events held on an annual basis. In terms of profit, though, the lower
income from the sale of floor space was only partially made up
through services (100,000 m2 less floor space was sold in 2008 by
comparison to the previous year on account of the individual
exhibition schedules).

In addition to this, mention should be made of the further
strengthening of the internationally leading events in the field of
watches/jewellery and art/design, plus the healthy further
development of group companies Expomobilia AG and Winkler
Veranstaltungstechnik AG.

The expansion of the strategic business field, MCH Event Services,
was taken a decisive step further on 1 January 2009 when the MCH
Group integrated Rufener events Ltd. BSW, which is not only
Switzerland's leading event agency but has a wealth of international
experience too. With this competence in event management, it is now
going to be possible to gain access to additional market segments and
to exploit the potential for synergies.

Today, the MCH Group covers all the relevant links in the value-added
chain for the entire exhibition and event market and stands alone in
this sector as a unique service network. This is the reason why it
was decided to adopt the new name of MCH Group - and a new corporate
image to go with it - taking effect in January 2009, as a clear
statement of the group's corporate repositioning

Motions to the General Meeting

A proposal will be submitted to the General Meeting on 8 May 2009 for
payment of a dividend of 5%. In addition, a motion will be submitted
for a change in the Statutes to allow the legal name of the holding
company to be changed to MCH Group Ltd. in line with the new name the
group has adopted for its corporate communications. With regard to
the membership of the Board of Directors, a proposal will be
submitted to the General Meeting for the current Board members of
Heini Brugger, Rolando Benedick and René C. Jäggi, to be confirmed in
office for a further two years.

"Basel Exhibition Center 2012" project

A further focal point of 2008 was the continued development of the
"Basel Exhibition Center 2012" project, together with the political
decision processes accompanying this. The referendums held in the
Cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft produced majorities in
excess of 61% in favour. The tender process for selecting a general
contractor, however, revealed the need for a project optimisation. To
remain within the specified cost limits, various aspects of the
project have had to be revised and the scheduling reviewed.

The detailed project optimisation will have been completed towards
the end of the first half of 2009. The key results of the process are
already emerging right now, however. By implementing an appropriate
package of measures, it will be possible to remain within the
specified cost limits while still retaining the architectural
concept.

The chief measures involved are as follows:

  * redimensioning the building volume through a reduction in the
    hall height to eight meters in the upper two storeys and a
    reduction in the square metrage;
  * optimising the supporting structure through a column grid similar
    to that in the existing Hall 1, plus further optimisations in the
    field of façade design, technical systems within the buildings,
    and the materials used;
  * rescheduling the completion date from January 2012 to April 2013
    by agreement with the Exhibitors' Advisory Group for the
    BASELWORLD Watch and Jewellery Show.


Postponing the completion date by a good year will allow sufficient
time to work out the details of the necessary project modifications
with due care, to involve the public authorities in the ongoing
process, and also to run through any new steps that may be required
in the approval procedures.



Link Media Release: http://www.mch-group.ch/go/id/ndz/lang/eng/
Link: At a Glance: http://www.mch-group.ch/go/id/npw/lang/eng/



Media contact
Christian Jecker
Corporate Communications
Telephone: +41 58 206 22 52
christian.jecker@messe.ch


MCH Swiss Exhibition (Holding) Ltd.
CH-4005 Basel
http://www.mch-group.ch


The press release can be downloaded from the following link:


 
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MCH Messe Schweiz (Holding) AG
 Basel 

WKN: 553176; ISIN: 
CH0010358494; Index: SPI, SPIEX, SSCI;
Listed: SWX Local Caps in SIX Swiss Exchange;
http://hugin.info/134007/R/1298061/295583.pdf


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