Cargolifter AG i.I. (delisted)
CargoLifter AG english
CargoLifter Annual General Meeting to Set Course for the Future
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Berlin – “At our 5th Annual General Shareholder Meeting on March 16, 2002 we
will lay out the course for the successful future of our company,” announced
Karl Bangert, CFO, on February 7 following the publication of the agenda of the
Annual General Shareholder Meeting. Besides the already announced changes to the
statutes regarding the expansion of the object of the business and the
expansion of the Management Board and Supervisory Board, the authorization of
further capital measures will top the agenda. A combination of various measures
is intended to enable the “Lighter-than-Air” logistics company to raise the
necessary financial resources: besides an increase of the share capital other
means include raising authorized capital as well as the issuance of convertible
bonds or option bonds. “The suggested measures give us the necessary flexibility
to secure the financing of the company to a large degree, thereby allowing us
to push on with building up the company and the development and production of
the “Lighter-than-Air” vehicles.”
The company plans to obtain the financial means needed through the participation
of strategic investors, public support, credits (through credit guarantees, if
necessary), through further capital measures or a combination of these
possibilities. “To be able to carry out these capital measures, we will propose
a number of resolutions to our shareholders, which will together secure further
financing”.
Goal: flexibility and quick action
One of these measures intends to increase the share capital at a ratio of 1:1.
Shareholders will be granted full subscription rights. “The direct increase of
the share capital at 1:1 ratio was chosen in order to be able to unite
shareholders, strategic partners and financial investors interest in a one
larger capital measure,” said Bangert. He added that CargoLifter could thereby
obtain a large part of the necessary financial means within just one step. To be
able to use further financial possibilities, CargoLifter will suggest the
approval of the issuance of convertible bonds or option bonds worth up to a
total nominal value of 50 million Euro. Together with the resolution of the
Annual General Meeting last year, the company would thereby be able to open up
the way to the issuance of convertible bonds or option bonds worth up to a total
nominal value of 200 million Euros with subscription rights for shareholders.
In order to be able to react flexibly with potential partners, CargoLifter wants
to renew the resolution on the purchase of its own shares as to allow up to 10
per cent of the share capital. The authorization would give the company the
possibility to offer its own shares to strategically important business partners
in return for services or allow strategic partners to take a stake within a
short-term period. This instrument can also be used to acquire stakes in other
companies – the advantage over a capital increase lies in the fact that it can
be used on short notice.
Further Resolution Points
“Since its foundation in 1996 it has become clear that CargoLifter can open up
further markets – not only with its CL 160 transportation airship, but also with
other systems based on its “Lighter-than-Air” technology such as the CL 75
AirCrane transportation balloon,” said CEO Dr. Carl von Gablenz. The “Lighter-
than-Air” technology offers potential not only in the transportation sector.
“For example, we have received inquiries on the deployment of our ‘Lighter-than-
Air” systems for surveillance purposes.” In order to be able to use this
potential, the object of the company’s business must be expanded at the Annual
General Meeting.
To be able to carry out the many future tasks optimally, CargoLifter AG wants to
expand its board: former Supervisory Board member Prof. Dr. Bernd-Helmut
Kröplin, currently Head of the Institute for Statics and Dynamics of Aerospace
Construction at the University of Stuttgart, will become Chief Technology
Officer. CargoLifter will propose as his successor Dr. Wolfgang Schneider,
former manager of the development department of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus
GmbH. In addition, CargoLifter wants to expand the Supervisory Board from three
to six members: besides Dr. Martin Frühauf, a member of the Supervisory Board
of Dresdner Bank AG and Aventis S.A., two employee representatives – Olaf
Fleischhauer and Dierk Stöckmann, both from CargoLifter Development GmbH – will
also join the Supervisory Board. “We are proud that we could gain two of German
industry’s top managers to work on our Supervisory Board,” commented von
Gablenz.
***
CargoLifter AG, based in Berlin, is developing a 260-meter-long and 65-meter-
wide airship for the transport of oversized and heavy goods weighing up to 160
metric tons – the CargoLifter CL 160. This “flying crane” will be able to carry
out expensive heavy transports faster, more simply and more cost efficiently –
without ever touching the ground and almost entirely independent from the local
infrastructure. Already, before the CL 160 is completed, the logistics company’s
second product line will go on the market: the CL 75 AirCrane transportation
balloon, which has a diameter of 61 meters and is able to transport up to 75
tons. To develop the airship in a market-oriented way, CargoLifter is already
today cooperating with various industrial companies within the framework of its
Lead-User concept. Since May 2000, the company’s shares have been listed on the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange(WKN 540 261, symbol: CLA). Since December 2000 it has
been in the MDAX index.
Currently, the CargoLifter company employs 489 people, about 274 of whom are
working on airship development at the dock in Briesen-Brand, near Berlin in the
state of Brandenburg. At the moment, Brand is the company’s pivotal location. At
the end of 2000 the production hangar for the CL 160 was completed. 107 meters
high, 210 meters wide and 360 meters long, it is the world’s largest free-
standing hangar. CargoLifter has built the CargoLifter World theme park,
allowing the interested public to follow the company’s development live. Since
its opening in Spring 2000, it has seen more than 300,000 paying visitors.
***
For further information please contact:
Silke Rösser
CargoLifter AG
Potsdamer Platz 10
10785 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 59003-2124
Fax: +49 (0) 35477 6500-2124
E-Mail: silke.roesser@cargolifter.com
Marion Jüstel
Publicis Public Relations
Chausseestraße 8
10115 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 820 82-509
Fax: +49 (0) 30 820 82-111
E-Mail: marion.juestel@publicis-berlin.de
end of message, (c)DGAP 07.02.2002
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