HOCHTIEF AirPort increases stake in Hamburg Airport

HOCHTIEF AirPort GmbH, in conjunction with HOCHTIEF AirPort Capital (HTAC), is to take over a minority interest in Hamburg Airport held by Aer Rianta Int. of Ireland. The two companies have now agreed on this step, which is to come into effect on January 1, 2007. This increases the stake held by HOCHTIEF AirPort and HTAC from 39.2 percent to a total of 49 percent. The purchase price is being treated as confidential.

Hamburg Airport is Germany‘s fourth-largest airport and the most important center of aviation in Northern Germany. Last year the airport, with its broad range of connections to 110 destinations, handled more than ten million passengers for the first time. This year, passenger figures are due to grow by a further ten percent, thus setting a new record. "When the opportunity arose to increase our shareholding, we seized it immediately. Hamburg Airport plays an important role in our portfolio, oriented as this is to the long term", says Dr. Reinhard Kalenda, CEO of HOCHTIEF AirPort. He continues: "One indication of the attractiveness of this airport is that our associates in the investment partnership HTAC were ready and willing to undertake a further joint investment."

In the past few years, Hamburg Airport has been implementing an extensive program of expansion and modernization. The remaining projects in this program, a shopping plaza, a hotel and a light rail link, are all due to be completed by 2008.

HOCHTIEF AirPort bundles the airport management business of international construction services group HOCHTIEF. Founded in 1997, HTA participates in airport privatizations and acquires airport concessions. It currently has stakes in the airports of Athens, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Sydney and Tirana. In March 2005, together with three financial partners, the company launched the first investment partnership in the airport sector. For further information go to www.hochtief-airport.com.

HOCHTIEF is one of the leading international providers of construction-related services. With more than 41,000 employees and a sales volume of EUR 13.65 billion in FY 2005, the company is represented in all the world’s major markets. In the USA, the biggest construction market in the world, HOCHTIEF is the No. 1 general builder via its subsidiary Turner. With its Group company Leighton, HOCHTIEF is market leader in Asia/Australia. The HOCHTIEF service offering in the fields of development, construction, services, concessions and operation covers the entire value chain of projects. Further information is available at www.hochtief.com/press.