BERLI JUCKER ANNOUNCES 40% INCREASE IN THIRD QUARTER NET INCOME TO BAHT 167 MILLION Berli Jucker Public Company Limited announced today that consolidated net income for the third quarter of 2001 was Baht 167.4 million, representing a 40% increase from the third quarter of 2000. For the nine-month period, consolidated net income was Baht 467.7 million, an 11% increase from the consolidated net income for the first nine months of 2000. Consolidated sales revenues for the third quarter of 2001 were Baht 2,838 million, an increase of 11% over the comparative period in 2000. For the nine-month period, consolidated sales revenues of Baht 8,276 million, increased by 9% compared with the equivalent period in 2000. Commenting on the results for the third quarter, Mr. David J. Nicol, Berli Jucker's President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "I am very pleased to report that our Consumer, Packaging and Technical businesses have all enjoyed sales increases in the third quarter of 2001 compared with the same period last year. Our Imaging business, however, recorded declines. Consumer product sales of Baht 1,062 million for the third quarter were 10% higher than the same period in 2000, led by a 27% rise in our snack foods business due to the overwhelming success of our Campus products and the continuing strength of our Tasto fresh potato chips. Tissue paper sales rose 15% from the third quarter last year with strong growth coming from the private label and institutional sanitary business sectors. Gross profit in our snack foods and tissue paper businesses also benefited from lower raw material costs. Sales revenues from Packaging products during the third quarter of 2001, at Baht 992 million, were 13% better than the equivalent period last year, due to strong sales of beer, whiskey and soft drink bottles which were partly offset by lower sales to the energy drink sector. Packaging products achieved net profits after taxes of Baht 113 million, an increase of 45%, for the third quarter aided by higher capacity utilisation and lower oil prices. Sales in our Technical business increased by 22% to Baht 488 million in the third quarter of this year compared with the same period last year. This strong growth was driven primarily by sales in our Medical Products and Specialties businesses, due primarily to strong sales of pharmaceuticals and food ingredients, respectively. With good margins realized in our Medical Products business during the third quarter, gross profit margin in our Technical division increased by 1.6% compared with the equivalent period in 2000. Sales in our Imaging products division decreased by 22% to Baht 205 million in the third quarter compared with the same period last year due primarily to significantly increased competition. The decreased sales resulted in gross margins declining by 2.7% in the quarter compared with the equivalent quarter of 2000. The Group's gross profit margin for the third quarter of 2001 at 26.4% was an improvement over the 25.6% gross profit margin realized in the third quarter of 2000. In aggregate, our margins have benefited from increased capacity utilisation in our packaging and tissue paper businesses and from lower raw material and energy costs." Mr. Nicol went on to comment on Berli Jucker's prospects for the remainder of 2001: "I anticipate the last quarter of this year should also be relatively strong for the Berli Jucker Group, similar in fact to the first nine months of the year." David John Nicol President & CEO November 14, 2001 For further information please contact: David J. Nicol: Tel 367-1024 Steve Weissman: Tel 367-1005 President and Chief Executive Officer Chief Financial Officer E-mail: djn@bjc.co.th E-mail: steve@bjc.co.th