Hillenbrand to Acquire Coperion Capital For EUR 408M

Hillenbrand (NYSE: HI) has entered into a definitive agreement toacquire privately held Coperion Capital GmbH (Coperion), a portfolio companyof Deutsche Beteiligungs AG, for an estimated purchase price of €408 million($530 million at current exchange rates), which includes the assumption of anestimated €76 million of net debt and €100 million pension liability.  Thefinal price is subject to certain closing and post closing adjustments.  Thetransaction is expected to close in December or January, depending uponsatisfaction of certain conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatoryapprovals.Based in Stuttgart, Germany, Coperion is a global leader in the manufacture ofcompounding, extrusion and bulk material handling equipment used in a broadrange of industries, including plastics, chemical, food processing,pharmaceutical and aluminum, as well as related replacement parts and service.At the completion of this transaction, Coperion will become the largestcompany in Hillenbrand's Process Equipment Group. Gunter Bachmann, currentlyCoperion's CEO, will continue as president of Coperion reporting to Joe A.Raver, president of Hillenbrand's Process Equipment Group.  Coperion'sheadquarters will remain in Stuttgart, Germany.During the trailing 12-month period ended September 30, 2012, Coperion'srevenue was €520 million ($675 million) and earnings before interest, taxes,depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was €38.7 million ($50.2 million). This includes €4.5 million ($5.8 million) of interest expense related to theassumed pension liability.  Adjusted EBITDA, which excludes €6.7 million ofrestructuring charges, was €45.4 million ($58.9 million).