Our service-oriented organisation offers innovative and tailored products and (total) solutions to our customers. Arseus aims to capture a leading position in every market or product segment in which it operates and intends to consolidate its target segments on the European market for the professional healthcare sector and to further expand its geographic presence within Europe. Arseus shares have been quoted on the Euronext Brussels and Euronext Amsterdam stock exchanges since 5 October 2007.

The most recent acquisitions by the Group took place between 2006 and 2008. In 2006, Eurotec Dental, Besserat and Liengme were taken over. Via Eurotec Dental and Besserat, Arseus became active on the French dental market. Through the acquisition of Liengme, the production of precision dental components in Switzerland was further expanded. In 2007, Polichimica, a leading company on the Italian market for magistral preparations, was taken over. This was followed in 2008 by the acquisitions of Tamda (market leader in the Czech Republic in the sales of pharmaceutical raw materials, creams and salves), Unikem (market leader in Denmark in the sale of pharmaceutical raw materials) and the French firm Julie-Owandy (total solutions for dentists using a combination of software and dental imaging equipment). Through these acquisitions, Arseus has consolidated its market share in existing markets and entered into new ones.

2008 was an excellent year for Arseus. We saw our consolidated turnover rise by 16.5% to € 354.5 million. Organic growth amounted to 6.9%. The recurrent EBITDA increased by 14.9% while the EBIT rose by 13.6% to € 30 million. Nett profits in 2008 fell by 8.4%. This drop was caused by the inclusion of the revaluation of the financial derivatives and a non-cash item of € 4 million in the profit and loss account. The recurrent nett profit rose by 14.6% to € 20.9 million. The Management Board has proposed to increase the gross dividend to € 0.30 per share, an amount that is five times higher than the dividend in 2007.