Kuroda Precision Industries Ltd. acquires Jena Tec Group of Companies

The associated companies of Avingtrans Industrial Products Ltd comprising Jenaer Gewindetechnik GmbH, Jena Tec Inc and Jena Rotary Technology Ltd (hereafter referred to as Jena Tec) and Kuroda Precision Industries Ltd.(hereafter referred to as Kuroda) are pleased to jointly announce a change in Jena Tec’s ultimate holding company share ownership.Subject to final completion on 8th November 2012, Kuroda, a company registered in Kawasaki, Japan has acquired 100% of the shares of all Jena Tec companies from Avingtrans PLC. Jena Tec with manufacturing facilities in Germany, the UK and USA are a designer and manufacturer of high quality precision linear and rotary motion components supplying the machine tool, automation and medical industries principally throughout Europe and North America. Kuroda with manufacturing facilities in Japan, China and Malaysia is a designer and manufacturer of precision components and systems including ball screws, press tools, gauges, tool holding system, machine tool and measuring systems. Since 1925, Kuroda has served a wide range of industries including automotive, machine tool, semi-conductor, automation, and electronics principally throughout Asia. The investment and acquisition of Jena Tec by Kuroda is a further positive step in the development of both brand names whereas each have a reputation for high quality products in their respective markets and where the synergies of both groups will allow significant growth to be achieved globally with their combined resources. Operation of all Jena Tec group companies and respective appointed Directors will continue as before. Jena Tec Divisional Managing Director, Paul Ward, commented: “The investment by Kuroda in Jena Tec is warmly welcomed as the positive elements that both companies can share when combined are significant and supports the expansion plans identified by both groups of companies. The commitment, interest and shared historical background of Kuroda and Jena Tec in producing high precision products in a competitive global market place will continue to benefit our customers, employees and shareholders and secure our successful continued growth in thefuture.” Kuroda president, Hiroshi Kuroda, commented: “We are very pleased with Jena Tec joining Kuroda Group. Jena Tec and Kuroda share commitment to precision manufacturing, skilled employees and long-term relationship with our customers. Jena Tec’s high-quality precision products and customer base ideally complements with those of Kuroda. By combining our resources and competencies, we can better serve our global customers with a wider range of products and solutions. I am excited about the wonderful growth opportunities lying ahead of us.”

Sale of Jena Tec to Kuroda Precision Industries Ltd. (“Kuroda”) of Japan

Avingtrans plc, which designs, manufactures and supplies critical components and associated services to the global aerospace, energy, medical and industrial sectors, announces that it has agreed the sale of its Industrial division, comprising the Jena Tec sub-group of companies (“Jena Tec”), to Kuroda, of Japan, for a cash consideration of £13.45 million (the “Sale”). Highlights: • Cash consideration of £13.45 million • Avingtrans now focused on Aerospace and Energy & Medical Divisions • Aerospace continues to thrive with record order book • Board continues to evaluate potential acquisition targets • • Disposal of Jena Tec provides certainty of funding The Board believes that the Sale will enable Avingtrans to fully focus on its two core sectors through its remaining divisions, namely Aerospace and Energy & Medical, which together contributed revenues of £32.2 million and earnings before interest and tax (“EBIT”) of £1.8 million (before group costs and impairment of goodwill) during the year ended 31 May 2012 and currently employ 548 people. The proceeds of the Sale will be used to invest further in the growth of these divisions and to reduce debt, whilst the Board also continues to evaluate acquisition targets that it believes will enhance long-term shareholder value. The Industrial division contributed revenue of £11.8 million and EBIT of £1.3 million during the year ended 31 May 2012. At that date, the gross assets of Jena Tec were £12.6 million. The division was constructed by Avingtrans from a series of small acquisitions over several years, which originally cost approximately £4 million in total. Jena Tec employs 178 people across its operations based in Germany, the UK, USA and China, all of whom are expected to transfer to Kuroda. Jena Tec’s principal business is the design, manufacturing and servicing of Precision Ballscrews, Spindles and Linear Motion actuation systems for automation and control of CNC machines and precision instrumentation. The final procedural steps for the disposal will be completed on Thursday, November 8th. Steve McQuillan, Chief Executive, of Avingtrans commented: “Whilst Avingtrans is in the enviable position of having three solid, profitable businesses, our overall size and corporate structure has meant that we have been unable to invest in each of the businesses to the degree that we would like and thereby maximise the opportunities available in each of our divisions. “The sale of Jena Tec provides us with a more focused business and the proceeds will allow us to invest for future growth. Our Aerospace division has been thriving and our order book at the financial year end remained at record levels. The creation of Sigma Composites in February is evidence of our ability to create value by targeted investment and we will continue to explore opportunities which would improve our customer reach or product offering and thereby further strengthen our position in this attractive market. “The Energy and Medical division had a difficult period last year, but is well placed to recover in the second half of this financial year, as the volume of activity with Siemens increases. We have continued to cement our key relationships within this division and add further customers, which will enable us to prosper in the years ahead. “We are very proud of all that we have achieved with Jena Tec during our stewardship, including consistently improved sales and profitability. We believe it is well positioned to continue on this growth path under its new owners and we wish our friends there, the employees and Kuroda all the very best for the future. ”

www.jena-tec.co.uk

UK Trade & Investment Team Visit Jena Tec in Germany

July saw an important visitor delegation to Jena Tec's German factory located in the town of Jena, Thuringia, in the shape of a team from the UK embassy located in Berlin and the department of UK Trade & Investment with sector responsiblity for the engineering sector. The visit was part of a co-ordinated tour of successful Anglo-Deutsch companies where examples of best practice could be demonstrated. The strength of the German manufacturing industry particularly in relation to export markets is still very relevant in the current economic climate and the Ambassador and UKTI team were keen to learn lessons from successful companies, such as Jena Tec, and the German model with respect to how manufacturers can be better supported in the future. Jena Tec gave an extensive presentation of the high precision ballscrew machining operations in Jena followed by a Q&A session and a practical demonstration of the important factors of ballscrew assembly for the Ambassador and his team.

New design of Brake Caliper requires new Jena Tec Multi Head Spindles

Jena Tec's design, manufacture and retrofit capability for mutli spindle heads for linear and rotary transfer machines led to orders within June for 8 new spindle heads for a tier 1 supplier in the automotive industry to be retrofited to an existing cell of rotary transfer machines. The 8 new units will be designed specifically to produce a new design of brake caliper for a leading international automotive OEM with production facilities in the UK. Jena Tec will provide a complete design, manufacturing and supply solution for the new spindle heads which will be installed and producing parts by October 2012. For more information on Multi Spindle design capability please go to www.jena-tec.co.uk or www.mossgroupautomation.com

Jena Tec wins Nissan Automotive Retrofit Contract

Jena Tec’s automation division, Moss Group, received orders worth approximately £600,000 from the automotive sector. Notable amongst these is a £450,000 order from Nissan Manufacturing UK for the automotive transfer line upgrades for a new engine variant introduction - awarded by Nissan in May 2012 - and will comprise the supply and integration of conveyor systems, fixtures, transfer tables and ancillary systems. This will be integrated in Nissan’s Sunderland plant in December 2012, where Jena Tec will provide a complete turnkey retrofit, as Nissan UK expands its production capability for newer engine models. The strategy for Jena Tec to provide precision OEM components, MRO repair services as well as full integration for complex machine tool retrofits and special automation projects. This is a demonstration of the company's growth to provide a vertically integrated service from design, engineering and implementation of automation solutions. For more information go to www.jena-tec.co.uk or visit www.mossgroupautomation.com

Jena Tec Ballscrew Investment Continues........

Jena Tec is pleased to announce the recent installation of its 3rd MBS (Miniature Ballscrew) Grinding machine in its German production facility in Jena. The NRK precision thread grinding machine will increase by over 50% Jena Tec's production capability in highly accurate ballscrews from 6mm to 12mm diameter used across a wide customer base for medical, optical and linear motion applications. The universal CNC-thread grinding machine type NRK is designed for grinding of all kinds of external threads, e.g. worms, thread screws and thread gauges. Due to its rigid construction the machine makes possible a high productivity and precision. Using CNC-dressing technology the machine has a very high flexibility and can grind any kind of thread profiles. The machine is equipped with the latest drive and control technology (digital servo drives: Siemens, high precision scales and resolvers: Heidenhain). The ongoing investment strategy of Jena Tec is to focus on niche areas of product development requiring demanding levels of accuracy and quality and further investment continues in the coming 12 months for additional CNC manufacturing technology related to ballscrew spindle and nut production as Jena Tec see growing demand for its high tech manufactured products. For more information please visit our website www.jena-tec.co.uk or www.jena-tec.com