DGAP-News: VTG Aktiengesellschaft: VTG concludes joint venture with Cosco Logistics and invests in Chinese


VTG Aktiengesellschaft / Joint Venture

25.06.2008 

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Press release

VTG concludes joint venture with Cosco Logistics and invests in Chinese
tank container transport company

Hamburg, 25 June 2008 – VTG Aktiengesellschaft (SCN: VTG999 / ISIN:
DE000VTG9999), Hamburg, will become joint venture partner to Cosco
Logistics Co. Ltd., Beijing, via its subsidiary VOTG. The VTG Group will
purchase the 50 percent share in the Chinese logistics service provider,
Cosco-Vopak Logistics Co., located in Shanghai, held until now by Vopak,
and will thus continue to expand its globally positioned Tank Container
Logistics Division. A contract has been signed with the seller, Vopak North
China B.V. The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

'Through the joint venture with Cosco we will substantially develop the
Chinese business of our VOTG subsidiary, which operates in tank container
logistics, and directly expand our market position in the fastest expanding
economic area worldwide', said Dr. Heiko Fischer, Chairman of the executive
board of VTG Aktiengesellschaft. VOTG Tanktainer GmbH, a 100 percent
subsidiary of the VTG Group, has already had a presence for several years
in the expanding Chinese market for tank containers.

The future joint venture embodied within the company Cosco-VOTG Logistics
Co. is specialized in logistics services for the transport of chemicals for
the chemical and petrochemical industry as well as in the transport of
foodgrade within China. Customers include European and American chemical
companies which require logistical support for their exports and imports
and also for their distribution within China which have been establishing
their own production facilities locally. In addition to its activity as an
agent, the joint venture is also building up the door-to-door transport
business with leased containers. The chemical industry is the third largest
industrial sector in China.

In addition to its head office in Shanghai, the future Cosco-VOTG Logistics
has four additional branches at the most important transport hubs along the
Chinese coast. With 30 employees, the company generated revenues of US
Dollar 14.0 million in the financial year 2007. As an agent for imports and
exports to and from China, the company is already a long-standing partner
of VOTG in the People’s Republic. The new joint venture is thus the result
of solidly established business relationships between the companies
involved.

'We expect that the strong economic upturn in China – especially within the
chemical sector – will continue to accelerate the demand for logistics
services. The joint venture with the Cosco shipping and logistics group
offers diverse possibilities for the continued expansion of our logistics
activities in the Asian region', explains Dr. Fischer.

About VTG:

VTG Aktiengesellschaft is one of Europe’s leading rail logistics and wagon
hire companies. With about 48,400 rail freight cars, VTG has Europe’s
largest private wagon fleet. In addition to the hiring of rail freight
cars, the Group offers global tank container transport and comprehensive
mulit-modal logistics services mainly around rail transport.

With the combination of its three interrelated divisions Wagon Hire, Rail
Logistics and Tank Container Logistics VTG offers its clients a
high-performance platform for international transport of their freight. The
Group has many years of experience and specific know-how in particular in
the transport of liquid and sensitive goods. Its customers include numerous
well-known companies from almost all industrial sectors such as, for
example, chemicals, mineral oil, the automobile or paper industries.

In the financial year 2007 VTG generated operating revenues of EUR 541.4
million and an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 137.0 million. Via its
subsidiaries and affiliates the company, which has its head office in
Hamburg, is mainly present in Europe, Asia and North America. As at 31
March 2008 VTG employed 831 employees worldwide in consolidated companies.
Since June 2007 VTG AG has been listed on the official Prime Standard
market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (SCN: VTG999).

About VOTG Tanktainer GmbH:

Within the Tank Container Logistics Division the VTG Group offers worldwide
inter-modal transport and logistics services through its subsidiary VOTG
Tanktainer GmbH. In Total, a fleet of of approx. 8,000 tank containers is
available. Major goods transported are liquid and temperature-controlled
products from the chemical, mineral oil and compressed gas sectors.

VOTG has 97 employees in consolidated and 46 in non-consolidated companies
and is represented worldwide by own locations (including USA and Singapore)
as well as by representations.

Press contact:

Bettina Fries

Telephone:  +49 (0) 211 430 79-70

Fax:   +49 (0) 211 430 79-79

E-Mail:  bfries@heringschuppener.com

Investor Relations:

Felix Zander

Telephone:  +49 (0) 40 23 54-1351

Fax:   +49 (0) 40 23 54-1350

E-Mail:  felix.zander@vtg.com

Additional information:  www.vtg.com
DGAP 25.06.2008 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Language:     English
Issuer:       VTG Aktiengesellschaft
              Nagelsweg 34
              20097 Hamburg
              Deutschland
Phone:        040 2354 0
Fax:          040 2354 1199
E-mail:       info@vtg.de
Internet:     www.vtg.de
ISIN:         DE000VTG9999
WKN:          VTG999
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr    in Berlin, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
---------------------------------------------------------------------------