EANS-News: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG / Construction of a CO2 recovery plant at the AGRANA bioethanol facility in Pischelsdorf (with attachments)

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Contracts

Wien (euro adhoc) - AGRANA and AIR LIQUIDE have today concluded a
contract entailing the construction of the latest state-of-the-art
CO2 liquefaction plant at AGRANA´s bioethanol facility in
Pischelsdorf | Lower Austria. AIR LIQUIDE´s total investment for the
plant, which is scheduled to be commissioned in Q1 2012, amounts to
around EUR15m.

During the production of bioethanol, some of the carbon dioxide
stored in the renewable raw materials (primarily wheat and corn) is
released. The planned plant will recover, clean and liquefy over
100,000 tonnes of the biogenic carbon dioxide released from these
renewable raw materials. This liquefied CO2 will be available for use
in various industrial applications, particularly for carbonated
beverages.

"According to a life cycle analysis performed by Joanneum Research,
the bioethanol produced at the AGRANA facility in Pischelsdorf
accounts for a saving of around 380,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas
emissions (particularly CO2) in the Austrian transport sector. The
AIR LIQUIDE CO2 recovery plant represents an additional, sustainable
improvement in the natural CO2 cycle. The CO2 released during the
fermentation of alcohol is prepared for industrial use and replaces
CO2 obtained from less sustainable sources," says Johann Marihart,
CEO of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG.

Jean-Luc Robert, General Manager of AIR LIQUIDE Austria Core Central
Europe: "We are particularly proud to have concluded this agreement
with Agrana one of the leading companies in its domain. This new
investment will recover and reuse carbon dioxide from renewable
resources while enabling us to develop our presence in the carbon
dioxide market and to strengthen our overall positions in this
growing region.

About the contractual partners At its bioethanol plant in
Pischelsdorf | Lower Austria, AGRANA Bioethanol GmbH annually
processes up to 620,000 tonnes of cereals to produce up to 240,000m3
or 190,000 tonnes of bioethanol as well as up to 190,000 tonnes of
the high-quality, GMO-free, protein-rich animal feed Actiprot.

In Austria, 5% bioethanol by volume is currently added to petrol in
line with the mandatory admixture legislation. The bioethanol is also
used in the new and environmentally sensitive fuel SuperEthanol E85,
which consists of up to 85% bioethanol, the remainder being petrol.

AGRANA is the leading sugar refiner in Central and Eastern Europe, a
major producer of customer-specific starch products in Europe, the
largest producer of bioethanol in Austria and Hungary, as well as the
global leader in the manufacture of fruit preparations for the dairy
industry and an important producer of fruit juice concentrates in
Europe. AGRANA´s approximately 8,000 personnel, based at 52
facilities in 25 countries, generated revenues of around EUR2bn in
its 2009|10 financial year.

AIR LIQUIDE is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the
environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 42,300
employees.

AIR LIQUIDE AUSTRIA GmbH employs about 300 people and is a leading
company on the Austrian gas market. Present in all Austrian regions,
AIR LIQUIDE supplies a wide range of industries such as food &
beverages, healthcare, chemicals, automotive, energy, metallurgy,
mining and metal fabrication.

This press release is available for download in German and English at
www.agrana.com.

Attachments with Announcement:

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http://resources.euroadhoc.com/us/grEFm9rM

Pictures with Announcement:
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http://resources.euroadhoc.com/us/0KbjaCxb

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Investor Realtions:

Mag. Hannes Haider

Tel.: 01-21137-12905

hannes.haider@agrana.com

Public Relations:

Mag. Ulrike Pichler

Tel.: 01-21137-12084

ulrike.pichler@agrana.com

Branche: Food
ISIN: AT0000603709
WKN: 779535
Index: WBI, ATX Prime
Börsen: Berlin / Präsenzhandel
Frankfurt / Präsenzhandel
Stuttgart / Präsenzhandel
Wien / official market