SAFT : takes control of Nersac lithium-ion battery factory

Saft takes control of Nersac lithium-ion battery factory Paris, January 7th, 2013 - Saft, the world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced technology batteries for industry announces that it has bought from Johnson Controls Inc the Nersac Li-ion battery facility near Angoulême in France.

This transaction took place on 1st January 2013, in line with the agreement concluded with Johnson Controls on 30th September 2011 relating to the sale of Saft's shares in the Johnson Controls-Saft joint venture, for a total consideration of $145m.
This factory, which employs 90 people today provides Saft with complementary Li-ion battery production capacity for its different markets. It is already qualified to manufacture batteries for the automotive industry and has been building Li-ion batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles since 2009.
The facility which has a current capacity of 60 MWh, can be doubled with limited investment
and is equipped to produce the same cells as Saft's Jacksonville plant.

«Taking control of the Nersac Li-ion factory and thereby increasing our production capacity in Europe is an important part of Saft's strategy to accelerate our growth and to further deploy our Li-ion technologies into high growth markets such as energy storage and vehicles, but also into our traditional markets» said John Searle, Chairman of Management Board, Saft Groupe.

About Saft

Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced technology batteries for industry. The Group is the world's leading manufacturer of nickel batteries and primary lithium batteries for the industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, civil and military electronics markets. Saft is the world leader in space and defence batteries with its Li-ion technologies which are also being deployed in the energy storage, transportation and telecommunication markets. Saft's

4,000 employees present in 19 countries, its 16 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network all

contribute to accelerating the Group's growth for the future.

For more information, visit Saft at www.saftbatteries.com

Press contacts: Saft

Jill Ledger, Corporate Communications and Institutional Relations Director

Tel.: [phone], e-mail : [e-mail]

FTI Consulting Strategic Communications

Matthew Stroud, Tel.: [phone], [e-mail]

Astrid Villette, Tel.: [phone], [e-mail]

N° 01-13 www.saftbatteries.com