May 17, 2001 -- The MAN Roland Group, the world's second largest supplier of printing systems and the world's leading supplier of webfed presses, reviewed outstanding operating results for the short financial year 2000 (July 1 Dec. 31, 2000) at its shareholders' meeting held in Augsburg, and presented its shareholders with excellent perspectives for the current financial year. During the first four months of 2001, new orders increased by 13% compared to the previous period, totaling 827 million EUR, while sales increased by 4% to 558 million EUR. MAN Roland is anticipating continuing increases in new orders and sales, above-average return rates, and sustained increases in earnings for the current financial year. Gerd Finkbeiner, chairman of the board of the MAN Roland Group, outlined company strategies and perspectives, "Full order books in the webfed press sector, the introduction of a series of new products in the sheetfed press sector, and the steady ex-pansion of our worldwide trade and services activities make us very confident that we'll be able to increase sales and earnings once again in 2001. The webfed press sector will be working at full capacity well into the year 2002. The sheetfed division's average capacity utilization stretches ahead by an average of more than five months. The new digital systems business unit should enjoy over-proportional growth, and we anticipate a business volume of EUR 100 million in 2002 and significant double-digit annual growth rates thereafter. This would double business volume within a period of three years. In addition, sales in the trade and services sector are expected to increase to EUR 500 million by 2002. This makes the start of the 2001 financial year very promising." Factors that lead to success Five sets of measures have led MAN Roland to its leading position. 1. Customer orientation: MAN Roland focuses all its activities on the customer and the customer's specific needs. 2. Internationalization: The sheer number of the Group's international offices requires an international and open-minded corporate culture. 3. Services orientation: From its origins as a machine systems manufacturer, MAN Roland has evolved into a systems supplier in the graphic arts and printing industries. 4. In the course of prepress, consumables, and finishing diversification, the Trade and Services business sector has contributed significantly to the overall operating results. 5. The Group promotes integration externally via a single brand-name - MAN Roland - and internally by efficiently networking the three business sectors as well as the individual company locations and business units. Review of the Short Financial Year The MAN Roland Group has been able to continue the successes of the previous financial years throughout the short financial year (July 1 - December 31, 2000). The Group has fortified and expanded the market positions of all of its business sectors. The value of new orders increased from EUR 972 million to EUR 1126 million, a 16% increase compared to the corresponding period last year (sheetfed presses +18%; webfed presses +11%; trade and services +27%). Net sales of EUR 946 million exceeded last year's figure of EUR 796 million by 19% (sheetfed presses +27%; webfed presses +14%; trade and services +11%). Orders on hand are up by 13%, increasing from EUR 1246 million as of June 30, 2000, to EUR 1406 million. Group pretax earnings of EUR 42 million are more than twice last year's earnings (EUR 19 million). The Group has thus increased the previous year's above-average return on capital employed rate again, achieving an outstanding 19.4% (calculated for a complete financial year). As of December 31, 2000, the MAN Roland Group employed 10,248 persons (10,056 on June 30, 2000). This growth is essentially due to the expansion of the digital systems business unit as well as trade and services activities. The Members of the Board of MAN Roland (from left): Dr. Ingo Koch (Commercial Management, Information Technology, and Legal Affairs, deputy member), Dr. Rainer Opferkuch (business sector Sheetfed Presses, and Human Resources); Paul Steidle (business sector Webfed Presses), Gerd Finkbeiner, (Chairman, Marketing and Sales).