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Investor Martin Schlaff confirms intention of a long-term RHI engagement

16. January 2007

RHI Board of Management receives access to information on

MS Private Foundation

Last week the RHI Board of Management was informed that the MS Private Foundation holds RHI shares, option agreements and convertible bonds, which – provided a complete conversion of all outstanding convertible bonds – would result in a 29.22% share in the company (see ad hoc release of January 11, 2007).

The beneficiary of the foundation, Austrian investor Martin Schlaff, emphasized his interest in a long-term, strategic engagement in the company to the Board of Management. In order to disprove burgeoning media rumors regarding foreign investors in the background of the MS Private Foundation and speculative intentions, Schlaff invited the RHI Board of Management to personallytake a look at the business data of the MS Private Foundation in order to obtain information about the ownership and interest of the foundation.

In addition, the Board of the MS Private Foundation explicitly stated in a letter to RHI that all shares, option agreements and convertible bonds were acquired and held in their own name and that there were no open or disguised fiduciary relationships between them and third physical persons and legal entities.

CEO Dr. Andreas Meier therefore sees no reason to doubt the information provided and welcomes the engagement of an Austrian core investor in the Austrian industrial group and refractories world market leader RHI, who accompanies and supports the growth strategy of the company set by Meier himself.