Bioethanol plant production in Zörbig powered down - short-time word from September onwards

Leipzig, 01th September 2008 – From September, the VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG will reduce production at its bioethanol plant in Zörbig.

Bioethanol plant production in Zörbig powered down – short-time work from September onwards

Leipzig, 01th September 2008 – From September, the VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG will reduce production at its bioethanol plant in Zörbig. After thorough cleaning and maintenance work has been carried out, the production staff will go on to short-time work. “It is not clear at this stage how long the period of short-time work will continue”, reports Klaus-Dieter Bettien, Managing Director of VERBIO Ethanol Zörbig GmbH & Co. KG.

Mr. Bettien adds: “The grain prices are lower than they were last year, but still it is not possible to supply the market with competitive ethanol products, because imports are still cheaper than European ethanol.”

VERBIO will therefore concentrate its efforts further on the ethanol plant in Schwedt/Oder, which resumed production in May 2008. “In the Schwedt works we use mainly sugar or raw materials containing sugar for bioethanol production”, Mr. Bettien explains.

VERBIO aims to reach full production capacity with the existing facilities at the Schwedt plant by the end of the year.

Contact

VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG
Sandra Haacker                                                      Anna-Maria Schneider
Public Relations                                                     Investor Relations

Augustusplatz 9                                                      Augustusplatz 9

04109 Leipzig                                                        04109 Leipzig

Phone: +49 (0) 341 30 85 30 90                            Phone: +49 (0) 341 30 85 30 90
Fax: +49 (0) 341 30 85 30 99                                 Fax: +49 (0) 341 30 85 30 98
Email: pr@verbio.de                                              Email: ir@verbio.de

www.verbio.de

Information on VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG

The VERBIO Group is one of the leading producers and suppliers of biofuels and also the only industrial-scale producer of biodiesel and bioethanol in Europe. Nominal capacity currently amounts to around 450,000 tons of biodiesel and 300,000 tons of bioethanol per year. The company has developed its own processes and innovative technologies for the production of biodiesel and bioethanol. It supplies its products directly to European mineral oil corporations, mineral oil traders, independent gas stations and haulage companies. VERBIO AG also markets high-quality pharmaglycerin for the consumer goods and cosmetic industries (glycerin is a by-product of biodieselproduction). Within the Group, VERBIO AG acts as the management holding company. The Group’s operating business is run by its subsidiaries: VERBIO Diesel Bitterfeld GmbH & Co. KG, VERBIO Diesel Schwedt GmbH & Co. KG, VERBIO Ethanol Zörbig GmbH & Co. KG, VERBIO Ethanol Schwedt GmbH & Co. KG and VERBIO STS AG.