Acquisition of Maquet approved by the German competition authorities

12/12/2000 6:12 AM EST

The acquisition of the shares of the German group Maquet AG, a subsidiary
of RWE AG (Rheinisch Westfälisches Elektrizitätswerk) which was announced
by Getinge on 17 November 2000, was conditional upon approval by the
German competition authorities and formal approval by RWE's board of
directors.

Today Getinge Industrier announces that the acquisition has been approved
both by the Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) and the board of
directors of RWE. The two conditions for the acquisition have thus been
fulfilled.

Maquet is the world leader in surgical tables with a 30% share of the
world market and with a well established brand name, synonymous with
innovative strength and quality for more than a century. Maquet will make
up the foundation of Getinge's new business area Surgical Systems.

Getinge, 12 December 2000

Johan Malmquist
President and CEO

Getinge Industrier is a medical-technical Group and a world leader in the
fields of health care, the pharmaceutical industry and laboratories, as
well as hygiene, lifting and antidecubitus systems for hospitals and
extended care. In 1999, before the acquisition of the shares of7 Maquet,
the Getinge Group had sales of SEK 4.885 million and 3,800 employees.

GETINGE INDUSTRIER AB (publ.)
Phone +46 35 15 55 00
VAT No SE556408503201

P.O. Box 69
Fax +46 35 549 52
Org.No. 556408-5032

SE-310 44 GETINGE
www.getinge.com
Registered office: Halmstad
Sweden