Acquisition of Chilean hygiene products company

Acquisition of Chilean hygiene products company SCA has acquired 50% of the privately owned Chilean hygiene products company Papeles Industriales S.A. (PISA) for a transaction value on a debt-free basis of about SEK 470 M. PISA is currently Chile's second largest producer of tissue, with a market share of about 25%, and holds a growing position in baby diapers. The acquisition is a complement to SCA's positions in the hygiene markets in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and other neighboring countries. SCA is already engaged in a joint venture in Chile for the sale of feminine hygiene products. Growth in the Chilean tissue market during the past ten years has amounted to nearly 6% annually and is expected to continue at a high level. PISA's tissue operations in Santiago comprise two paper machines with a combined annual capacity of about 40,000 tons and a modern and efficient converting plant. Based on the operating surplus during the most recent 12 months, the EBITDA multiple of the acquisition is 7.7. The acquisition yields a CVA index of 1.4, which means that the net present value of future free cash flow is expected to exceed the transaction value by about 40%. The acquisition is expected to have a positive effect on SCA's earnings per share during the first 12 months. Stockholm, 25 August 2003 SVENSKA CELLULOSA AKTIEBOLAGET SCA (publ) Communications and Investor Relations For more information, please contact: Jan Åström, President and CEO, +46 70 586 07 01 Peter Nyquist, Senior Vice President Communications and Investor Relations, +46 70 575 29 06 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/08/25/20030825BIT00490/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/08/25/20030825BIT00490/wkr0002.pdf