Swedish Match acquires additional 22% in WIMCO Ltd in India

7/31/2000 8:30 AM EST

Swedish Match acquires additional 22 percent in Wimco Ltd in India

Swedish Match has today signed an agreement to acquire 22 percent of the
shares in Wimco Ltd from the Jatia family. After the acquisition Swedish Match
will own 74 percent of the equity in the company.
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The transaction is expected to close during the 3 quarter, 2000.

Wimco is a public company, listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and other
Indian stock exchanges. It is the leading manufacturer and distributor of
matches in India and, with a production capacity of some 4,5 billion match
boxes, is the largest local match manufacturing company in the world.


The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.
Swedish Match is an international group with its head office in Stockholm. The
company manufactures a broad range of products within the OTP (Other Tobacco
Products) category, with smokeless tobacco as its core business along with
cigars and pipe tobacco, as well as matches and lighters. The products are
sold in approximately 140 countries. Sales for the twelve months period ending
March 31, 2000 amounted to approximately 9,600 SEK. Swedish Match is listed on
OM Stockholm Stock Exchange (SWMA) and on NASDAQ (SWMAY).


For further information, please contact:

Lennart Sundén, President and CEO +46 8 658 01 75 (office)
Sven Hindrikes, Executive Vice President and CFO +46 8 658 02 82 (office)
Bo Aulin, Senior Vice President, +46 8 658 03 64 (office)
Secretary and General Counsel
Emmett Harrison, Vice President, Investor Relations +46 8 658 01 73 (office)
+46 709 38 01 73 (mobile)