12th Apr 2012 07:00
12 April 2012
Hightex Group plc
("Hightex" or the "Company")
Cost Restructuring and Directorate Change
Hightex, a leading systems engineering company, which designs, fabricates and installs large area, cable supported, lightweight membrane roofs and façades worldwide, announces that it has restructured its cost base which is expected to lead to material cost savings.
As part of the restructuring, Hightex has left its former rented office in Rimsting following the expiry of the lease and has moved to premises in Bernau, Bavaria. The new building comprises an office facility of 1,750 m2 and a warehouse of 2,000 m2 and will allow all of Hightex's sales, design and technical work to be centralised at the new building. Furthermore the new premises offer excellent transport infrastructure, being next to an exit of the Munich - Salzburg motorway.
Two parts of the new property are let to third parties who provide additional income to offset the mortgage costs. Hightex funded the property purchase with a bank loan with a fixed low rate of interest. The decision to pay interest and receive rent on an owned asset rather than to pay rent on leased premises will lead to a saving amounting to approximately half the former cost of renting premises.
As a result of this centralisation programme, Hightex is closing its UK office and the role of Director of Business Development has become redundant, in consequence of which David Walker has resigned as a Director. The Company expects that David Walker will work his notice period of a year by carrying out a range of particular tasks as agreed with the Chief Executive Officer. The Board thanks David Walker for the work and time he has committed to the Company over many years and regrets that it was not possible to find an alternative role for him in Germany. At the same time, five other employees of the UK office will also be leaving the company.
Hightex continues to work diligently on securing contracts for stadia and other structures in Brazil, the Middle East and in Europe, and will announce its preliminary results on 18 April.
ENDS
For further information:
Hightex Group plc | |
Charles DesForges, Executive Chairman | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7603 1515 |
Frank Molter, Chief Executive Officer
| www.hightexworld.com |
finnCap | |
Geoff Nash/Henrik Persson - Corporate Finance | Tel: +44 (0)20 7220 0500 |
Simon Starr - corporate broking | www.finncap.com |
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Hudson Sandler | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7796 4133 |
Charlie Jack | www.hudsonsandler.com |
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