Infopress Receives Funding From Baring Private Equity Partners.

Business Editors

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 2001

Infopress S.A., a leading Romanian commercial printing company, today announced that it has received US$5.8 million of funding from the Baring Central European Fund (BCEF) managed by Baring Private Equity Partners.

This investment establishes BCEF as the leading private equity investor in the region's printing sector. BRD Societe General has provided the debt financing to the company in conjunction with BCEF's equity investment.

Since its foundation in 1991, Infopress has established itself as one of the biggest, most reliable and fastest printers of magazines and commercial material in Central Europe. BCEF's investment will be used to acquire additional equipment allowing Infopress to consolidate its position as the market leader in Romania for commercial printing.

Commenting on the new funding, Infopress' General Manager Andras Albert said: "Infopress is already the market leader in Romania for commercial printing. As a result of this round of financing, we will become a full service printing company, operating the largest and one of the most modern commercial printing centres in southern central Europe. The funding will finance the purchase of two major new investments, a Muller Martini perfect binder machine and a MAN printing press, both of which will be in operation before the end of the fourth quarter."

Leonard Gherghina, General Manager of Baring Private Equity Partners Romania, added "Following the successful first closing of the Baring Central European Fund at the beginning of the year, the investment in Infopress adds another market leader with an outstanding management team to our rapidly expanding portfolio."

Gyuri Karady, BCEF's Managing Partner concluded, "With a portfolio that already includes Poligrafia in Poland and Allami Printing Co. in Hungary, the addition of Infopress positions BCEF as the leading private equity investor in the region's printing sector. In the coming months we will concentrate on helping the three companies capture the substantial growth opportunities and continue to look for further acquisitions in the region."

Notes to Editors

Founded in 1984, Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP) is a leading international private equity asset manager that invests in every major market outside of the USA via six regional funds with dedicated local investment teams. With a balanced team of 79 investment professionals operating out of 21 offices in 17 different countries world-wide, our coverage spans Asia, Central Europe, India, Latin America, Russia/CIS and Western Europe.

At 31 March 2001, BPEP's active portfolio of investments comprised 161 companies at a cost of investment of Euro 1.2 billion.

The ING Group, of which BPEP is a wholly owned subsidiary, has total assets of $630 billion and assets under management of $453 billion*. The ING Group ranked as the fourth largest financial institution in Europe - the twelfth largest world-wide with a market capitalisation of $64 billion**.

*31 March 2001

** 8 May 2001.

Baring Private Equity Partners Limited is regulated by IMRO and has issued this press release.