Ekopak : acquires industry peer Global Water & Energy

• Ekopak Sustainable Water
• Ekopak acquires industry peer Global Water & Energy

14 September, 2023 Ekopak acquires industry peer Global Water & Energy

PRESS RELEASE - REGULATED INFORMATION

Ekopak makes a strategic quantum leapfrom a solid, high-growth base - Ekopak acquires industry peer Global Water & Energy (GWE), transforming the group into a genuine global company, and looks back on a strong first half of the year.

Ekopak (EKOP:xbru), an ESG-driven company specializing in decentralized, circular water solutions, announces the acquisition of Global Water & Energy (GWE), a privately held company headquartered in Bruges, Belgium, with subsidiaries in Europe, Southeast Asia and North America. The company specializes in solutions for industrial wastewater treatment, water reuse and green energy production. At this occasion, Ekopak also publishes limited unaudited figures for the six-month period ended 30 June 2023. Publication of the full 2023 Half Year Report is scheduled for 25 September 2023.

Download the full press release (including financials) Download the joint press release with GWE

Key elements of the GWE-deal

• Ekopak acquires 100% of the shares of the GWE Group, which from now on will be included in Ekopak's consolidation scope.
• The transaction will be financed partly with equity and partly with long-term funding.
• This acquisition provides exceptional geographic, cross-sector and technological complementarity. With this acquisition Ekopak becomes a full-solution partner in the field of water reuse.
• Transforming Ekopak from a BeNeFra-company to a global player in a fast growing global water market.
• For 2023, Ekopak expects a group turnover (incl. GWE turnover as of today) of EUR 35-38 million (2022 group turnover: EUR 18 million). On a pro-forma consolidated annualized basis Ekopak & GWE will have a group turnover of EUR 55 - 58 million.
• Both companies will continue to operate under their own names, but will approach the market jointly when appropriate.

GWE: unique complementarity

Pieter Loose, CEO Ekopak: "The sector offers enormous opportunities, but it is evolving rapidly. Responding in a timely manner requires broad expertise and a certain scale. Together, we can play a leading role in the current wave of consolidation within the sector. There is an unseen complementarity between GWE and Ekopak. In terms of expertise, GWE's strength lies in wastewater treatment, while Ekopak is enormously skilled in the field of circular water use. We notice more and more that our customers are looking for both solutions. We also complement each other perfectly geographically: GWE is mainly active on the international market, largely outside Europe, while Ekopak has mainly put itself on the map in Western Europe. The integration of both companies offers us a unique opportunity, at the most opportune moment in the evolution of the sector. The time is now! We go for it!"

Uli Ombregt, CEO Global Water & Energy: "Both Ekopak and GWE have large branches of international companies as customers. The successes we achieve at these sites prompt those groups to implement similar solutions in other locations around the world. Our cooperation puts us at the forefront for this. The opportunities are endless… For example, GWE has many major customers in the brewing and food sectors, while Ekopak has a foothold in many multinationals in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. From now on we can pool our expertise and offer joint solutions for all these companies, in all these industrial sectors. GWE's DNA and corporate culture fit perfectly with those of Ekopak. In terms of teamwork, it will definitely be a flying start."

For more information, please contact

Els De Keukelaere, CFO Ekopak | [e-mail] | [phone]

Melissa Vanhoecke, Marketing Manager | [e-mail] | [phone]