PRESS RELEASE HALF-YEAR RESULTS

Punch International doubles its turnover and achieves spectacular increase in profit compared with the first half of last year
EMBARGO UNTIL August 25, 5 p.m. Evergem, 25 August 2000 Punch International has posted very good figures for the first half of 2000. Both turnover and profit and cash flow are entirely in line with the ambitious budgets drafted by the company. Turnover doubled from EUR 27.2 million in the first half of 1999 to EUR 54.8 million this year, and profit increased to EUR 1 million. 1. Unaudited and consolidated key figures
CONSOLIDATED KEY FIGURES, first half-year 2000 (in thousands of EUR) H1 99 Turnover 27 201 Ebitda (2) Ebitda margin Operational profit (= EBIT) Ebit margin Financial results Current profit (profit on ordinary activities) Extraordinary items Earnings before tax 3 326 12,2% 539 2,0% -451 88 196 284

1999 (1) 66 710 8 352 12,5% 3 215 4,8% -1 077 2 138 398 2 536

H1 2000 54 813 5 565 10,2% 2 874 5,2% -977 1 897 -104 1 793

00/99 101,5% 67,3%

433,3%

116,7% 2056,0% -153,3% 531,3%

Net profit Group share Third party share Cash flow (3) Earnings before amortization of goodwill

H1 99 114 114 0 2 691 239

1999 (1) 1.620 1.620 0 7 114 1 620

H1 2000 1 048 1022 26 4 287 1 411

99/98 819,6%

59,3% 490%

Stockholders equity Net debt (4) Total balance

28 960 16 406 66 841

30 794 19 089 75 505

31 245 35 363 97 367

7,7% 115,5% 45,7%

Key figures by share (in euros) Number of shares Cash flow per share Profit per share before tax Net profit per share Proposed gross dividend 1 304 420 2,06 0,28 0,11 1 304 420 5,45 1,94 1,24 0,33 1 304 420 3,29 1,37 0,80 59,3% 390,0% 613,8%

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Revised data Ebitda = Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization and Provisions Consolidated profit for the year + depreciation of intangible and tangible fixed assets + depreciation on goodwill Financial debt cash deposits cash at hand and in bank After all existing warrants (40,000) have been exercised

Notes Turnover for the first half doubled. Internal growth stood at 40%. However, increasing commodity prices, which could not all be directly passed on, put pressure on margins. As a result, the EBITDA margin decreased to 10.2%. But EBITDA and cash flow increased by 60%. Profit on ordinary activities rose from EUR 88,000 to EUR 1,897,000. Owing to the acquisition of Strobbe, amortization of goodwill rose to EUR 362,000. Considering the extent and strategic importance, the decision was taken to amortize the goodwill on this take-over over twenty years.

2. Key events in the first half of 2000

At the end of January Punch International acquired 100% of the shares in

Strobbe NV. Based in West Flanders, this company is an important supplier of computer-to-plate systems to Agfa-Gevaert. With this take-over Punch significantly strengthened its position as a supplier of systems.

In February Punch took over the business of Dufour Automation in a 50-50

joint venture with the company's new management. Based in Lille (France), Dufour Automation manufactures and assembles small series: industrial automation, payment terminals and electric control panels. These activities are being continued by the new company under the name Punch Dufour Automation.

In January 2000 Punch signed an agreement with Philips Display

Components Ottawa, a division of Philips Electronics North America (Ohio, USA). As from the end of May 2000 Punch was to be responsible for the production of rimbands for Philips Components in North America. However, the start-up of the production unit was delayed the business was fully up and running by the end of July.

3. Profile Set up in 1982, Punch International manufactures and assembles components, sub-systems and end products for Original Equipment Manufacturers in the consumer and professional electronics industry. Punch achieved turnover of EUR 66 million in 1999. The group has ten production units; together these employ some 1,800 people in six countries. Punch will continue to vigorously implement its growth strategy in the future. Punch has been listed on the Brussels stock exchange first market since March 1999. 4. Strategy Punch International's strategy aims at further developing the company in the future as a supplier of end products on the consumer and professional electronics market. Punch offers its customers Electronics Manufacturing Services: an integrated package of services and activities. This has been dubbed Electronics

Manufacturing Solutions by Punch since, unlike other producers, it is able to produce systems entirely in-house.

Punch manufacturers and assembles both mechanical and electronic component systems. This concept of one-stop-shopping means the company is able to meet the market's most important requirements great flexibility, short time-tomarket and strict cost management. 5. Outlook The general outlook is favourable: there is a positive trend in both the economic climate and the outsourcing market. Punch International will further its growth strategy in the second half of 2000. The extended unit in Dreux is to become operational in September: this will result in a considerable increase in production capacity in France. In August Punch signed heads of agreement with the Hungarian holding company Pannonplast for the sale of the unit in Szksfehervar (Hungary). This sale will result in lower operating profit in the autumn, but it will generate an extraordinary capital gain. The cash resources freed up will be used to fund a number of new projects.

For further information on the group and developments in activities, please visit our updated Website: http://www.punchinternational.com where you can also read our Quarterly Newsletter. You may also contact: Jan Smits Punch International Jacques Parijslaan 6-8 9940 Evergem Tel: 32 (0)9 257 6314 Fax: 32 (0)9 257 6310