TARKETT : to acquire Desso, one of the European leaders in commercial carpets

Tarkett to acquire Desso, one of the European leaders
in commercial carpets

Paris-Nanterre (France), October 30, 2014

Tarkett, a global leader in flooring and sports surfaces solutions, has reached an agreement in principle with Bencis Capital Partners and minority investors to acquire 100% of Desso.

Desso, a well-established brand, produces high-end and innovative carpet flooring, mainly for commercial applications (offices, education, hospitality, marine and aviation segments), and is present in consumer carpets in Europe. The company also serves the sports market with artificial turf and a unique reinforced natural grass system (GrassMaster^®).

Headquartered in the Netherlands, Desso achieved 202 million euros of sales in 2013, employs approximately 820 people and operates three plants in Europe. With the support of Bencis, Desso has demonstrated a strong and improving performance over the past few years.

"The acquisition of Desso will enable Tarkett to accelerate its profitable growth strategy by targeting the European market of added value carpet for commercial and residential use, as well as innovative sports surfaces. This move will extend our product portfolio, offering our customers complementary and cutting-edge solutions, as well as extensive design expertise" explains Michel Giannuzzi, CEO of Tarkett. "Following the successful acquisition of Tandus in the United States, Desso will allow Tarkett to provide commercial carpet solutions to all customers worldwide."

"We are very excited to join Tarkett with whom we share the same vision and entrepreneurial values, as well as a strong commitment to sustainability, both applying the Cradle to Cradle* principles at each step of the product's life and supporting the development of the circular economy. Within the Tarkett group, we will be in a position to offer extended development opportunities to our customers and partners, with products that aim to improve people's wellbeing and ultimately their performance." comments Alexander Collot d'Escury, CEO of Desso.

Desso's works council has been informed of the transaction and the consultation process is currently ongoing, as well as the filing procedures with the relevant competition authorities. The transaction is expected to be concluded at the end of this year.

* About Cradle to Cradle
Tarkett and Desso adopted the Cradle to Cradle® (C2C) design principles for several years with the support of the German scientific institute Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA). The C2C approach is managed as an 'innovation engine' by both companies rethinking the choice of raw materials that are safe and good for people and the environment, thus positively contributing to improved indoor air quality, people's wellbeing and the environment. C2C takes into account each step of the product's life: conception, production, usage, end of use and recycling.

About Tarkett
Tarkett is a global leader in innovative and sustainable solutions for flooring and sports surfaces. With a wide range of products including vinyl, linoleum, carpet, rubber, wood & laminate, synthetic turf and athletic tracks, the Group serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. With 11,000 employees and 32 production sites, Tarkett sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day, for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, stores and sports fields. Committed to sustainable development, the Group has implemented an eco-innovation strategy and promotes circular economy. Tarkett net sales of 2.5 billion euros in 2013 are balanced between Europe, North America and new economies. Tarkett is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A, ticker TKTT, ISIN: FR0004188670) and is included in the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid & Small, CAC All-Tradable www.tarkett.com:
http://www.tarkett.com.

About Desso
Desso is a leading global carpets and sport pitches company, active in more than 100 countries. Desso products are supplied to corporate offices, education, healthcare, government, homes and also hotels, cruise liners and airlines. It also produces world leading sports surfaces such as the DESSO GrassMaster^®, which has been installed at the home grounds of Champions League sides and at the football 'temple' Wembley. Today, most people spend on average 90% of their time indoors which has led to the company's vision: 'How to make the floor work for our health and wellbeing'. Our mission is to ensure that we develop unique products that deliver a much improved indoor environment that maximizes people's health and wellbeing and ultimately their performance. This is driven by our innovation programme based on the three pillars of Creativity, Functionality and Cradle to Cradle® design. For more information please visit: www.desso.com:
http://www.desso.com  

About Bencis Capital Partners
Bencis is an independent investment company that was founded in 1999. Bencis supports entrepreneurs and management teams in achieving their growth objectives. It has a 15 year history of investment in strong and successful businesses in the Netherlands and Belgium. With its extensive experience in sectors like Industry & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Business & Consumer Services, Healthcare & Leisure and Wholesale & Retail. Bencis is capable of adding true value. For more information please visit: www.bencis.com:
http://www.bencis.com  

Investor Relations Contact
Tarkett - Jacques Bénétreau - jacques.benetreau@tarkett.com:
mailto:jacques.benetreau@tarkett.com
Tarkett - Alexandra Baubigeat Boucheron - alexandra.baubigeatboucheron@tarkett.com:
mailto:alexandra.baubigeatboucheron@tarkett.com

Media Contact
Tarkett Group - Véronique Bouchard Bienaymé - communication@tarkett.com:
mailto:communication@tarkett.com 
Brunswick for Tarkett - tarkett@brunswickgroup.com:
mailto:tarkett@brunswickgroup.com  - Tel.: +33 (0) 1 53 96 83 83

Desso - Anette Timmer - atimmer@desso.com:
mailto:atimmer@desso.com - Tel.: ++31 (0) 416 684 100
Pressworks for Desso - Dick Haijma - Tel.: +31 (0)617143286

An audio-conference will be held for the analysts on Friday October 31st at 12:00 pm CET and an audio webcast service (live and replay) will also be available at www.tarkett.com:
http://www.tarkett.com.