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DJ EANS-Adhoc: Beta Systems sells its ECM solutions business to BancTec

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ad-hoc disclosure pursuant to section 15 of the WpHG transmitted by euro adhoc
with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely responsible for
the content of this announcement.
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03.06.2010 

* Sale of all the shares of Beta Systems ECM Solutions GmbH, Augsburg, and other
assets to BancTec GmbH, Langen
* Extensive impact on the financial performance, asset and financial position
2010
* Start of repositioning Beta Systems as an infrastructure software supplier 

Berlin, June 3, 2010 - Beta Systems Software AG (BSS, ISIN DE0005224406) has
today sold its Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Line of Business (LoB) to the
BancTec Group. In its extraordinary meeting which took place yesterday, the
Supervisory Board authorized the Management Board to conclude the negotiations.
The purchase agreement pertaining to the takeover of 100% of the shares in Beta
Systems ECM Solutions GmbH, Augsburg, was signed today with BancTec GmbH,
Langen, and BancTec, Inc., Dallas, Texas/USA. At the same time, the assets
assigned to this LoB in the USA and Austria were to be sold to the BancTec
Group. The completion of the sale is to take place swiftly. Confidentiality has
been agreed by both parties in respect of further details of the purchase
agreement. 

Extensive impact on the fiscal year 2010
The divestment of the ECM business in accounting and organizational terms from
the Beta Systems Group will take economic effect on May 31, 2010. Both companies
have contractually agreed a comprehensive cooperation for a transition period up
until the end of 2010 in order to ensure a smooth transfer to the new owner for
the customers, suppliers and employees. The deconsolidation of the ECM business
necessitates that the positive one-off effects on the financial performance,
asset and financial position of Beta Systems Software AG right through to an
adjustment of forecasts for continued operations be taken full account of in the
financial accounts in the second quarter of 2010. The requisite details are
scheduled to be released as part of the half-yearly financial report 2010
published at the start of August and explained to the shareholders at the
regular Annual General Meeting of Shareholders which will take place on August
17, 2010. 

end of ad-hoc-announcement
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Information and explanations on this ad-hoc release by the issuer: 

Description of the ECM Solutions Line of Business
With revenues of around EUR 28.8 million, the ECM business generated an operating
result before Group transfers of approximately EUR 1.3 million in the fiscal year
2009. The ECM Solutions business has a workforce of around 260 employees, the
majority of whom work at the Augsburg location and in the ECM subsidiary in
Nigeria. The core business of the ECM solutions segment consists in offering IT
solutions and services through to end-to-end systems (including hardware such as
scanners and sorters) for the FrontCollect product line. Along with the
processing of payment documentation, these solutions address the automation of
the general incoming mail and documents of large banking institutions and
insurance companies in Central, Eastern Europe and Africa. 

Background to the transaction
As part of a package of measures resolved in 2009, the Management Board of Beta
Systems Software AG decided to spin off the ECM solutions business at the start
of 2010, as well extensively reviewing alternatives for action (including
restructuring from the Company's own resources, joint ventures and
participations) with the aim of realigning the business. The option of selling
to strategic investors was also reviewed. Having carefully considered the
alternatives, the Management Board decided in favor of accepting the purchase
offer presented by BancTec. A decisive role in this decision was played by the
high level of synergy potential between Beta Systems' ECM business and BancTec
in terms of sales regions, technology and strategy, with a view to ensuring the
best possible future prospects in the interest of customers, partners and
employees. 

Sale strengthens the core business
This strategically significant step marks the start of a fundamental strategic
realignment involving the delivery of IT infrastructure software products for
the secure and efficient processing of data in large companies. At the heart of
the future strategy is the Buy & Build innovation and acquisition strategy
successfully pursued in the last two years which, alongside the Company's own
innovations, concentrates on the purchase of smaller IT companies in a narrower
market environment in the high-margin infrastructure business (DCI/IdM Line of
Business). Taking account of the necessary cost-related adjustments to the new
size of the Company, the financial resources released for the Company will give
it greater scope here. Beta Systems has used this step to secure itself a very
good position as one of the few independent mid-sized software and technology
suppliers in Europe in this segment. 

Comments
"This step means that we will be able to concentrate on our core competence as a
pure independent infrastructure software provider in the future. In many
respects, it was expedient for both companies, and we are happy to put our
business relations to our ECM customers in the hands of such an experienced
partner as BancTec," commented Gernot Sagl, member of the Management Board of
Beta Systems Software AG, and added: "What made our decision even easier was the
power inherent in the sales and technological strength in the international
document management market and BankTec's high standing with banks and insurance
companies in Western and Eastern Europe and America. An absolute plus point was
the already successfully implemented market entry into the market segment with
business process outsourcing services which is where we were just at the
beginning of our efforts." 

Coley Clark, chairman and chief executive officer of BancTec, commented on the
acquisition: "Beta Systems ECM Solutions has a decades-long history of providing
some of the most advanced, scalable, document and payment processing solutions
and services to the financial services market. In addition, they have a highly
skilled group of employees with tremendous, industry-focused intellectual
capital. We believe that these resources, in combination with those already
existing at BancTec, will enable us to provide an even stronger portfolio of
solutions and services to some of the largest and most complex financial
institutions in the world." 

End of information and explanations 

BancTec
BancTec helps clients around the world simplify the process of managing their
information. Founded in 1972, the company provides a wide range of solutions for
automating complex, high-volume and data-intensive business processes for
clients in the financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, government,
services and utilities industries. BancTec's offerings include business
solutions, business process outsourcing, and infrastructure services. With
headquarters in Dallas, BancTec serves clients in 50 countries. For more
information on how BancTec can help you optimize information management, visit
www.banctec.co.uk or call +44 (0)1753 778888. 

Beta Systems Software AG
Beta Systems Software AG (Prime Standard: BSS, ISIN DE0005224406) offers large
corporations high-end infrastructure software which spans sectors. This software
enhances the performance of a company's IT in terms of its availability,
scalability and flexibility. Data centers optimize their job and output
management. Moreover, especially companies with high numbers of users are
supported in the automation of their IT user administration. Improved security
also serves to fulfill the requirements placed on business operations in respect
of governance, risk management and compliance (GRC). 

Beta Systems was founded in 1983, has been a listed company since 1997, and has
a workforce of more than 400 employees. The company's principal place of
business is Berlin. Beta Systems operates through Centers of Competence in
Cologne and Calgary, as well as 18 subsidiaries worldwide and cooperation's with
numerous partner companies. Throughout the world more than 1,300 customers use
the products and solutions of Beta Systems to improve their processes and
security in more than 3,200 running installations. At present, Beta Systems
generates 50 percent of its sales from international business. Around 200 of its
customers are based in the USA and Canada. 

More information on the company and its products can be found under
www.betasystems.com. 

end of announcement                               euro adhoc
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 03, 2010 10:45 ET (14:45 GMT)