New Business Area President for Sapa Profiles

The recent years' rapid growth has made Sapa the largest Profiles Extrusion company in the world. In order to better capitalize on the synergies within the profiles area and streamline the operation, Sapa Profiles will be organized as one business area.

John Thuestad has accepted a position as Business Area President for Sapa Profiles reporting to the President and CEO of Sapa, Svein Tore Holsether. He will assume this role as of 1 February 2012, and will be a part of the Corporate Management Team at Sapa. In addition he will take on the role as BA President for Profiles Europe. Sapa Profiles will set up its new head-office in Lausanne, Switzerland and John Thuestad will re-locate there.

John Thuestad comes from the position of Executive Vice President in Alcoa. Until May this year he was responsible for the Primary Aluminium smelters and refineries worldwide. Prior to joining Alcoa, John was President and CEO of Elkem ASA of Norway.

"Sapa is the world's largest aluminum extrusions company and by organizing our Profiles' operations as one Business Area we will ensure sharing of best practice and improve the realization of synergies across our worldwide profiles operations. I am very pleased that John will join Sapa Profiles to support this process and I know that he will bring momentum to the improvement programs that now are being initiated", says Svein Tore Holsether.

For more information please contact:
Erika Ahlqvist, VP Communications Sapa Group,
[phone] or [e-mail]
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Sapa is the largest aluminium profiles producer in the world. The Sapa Group develops, manufactures and markets value-added profiles, profile-based building systems and heat exchanger solutions in the light-weight material aluminium. Sapa is divided in the business areas Sapa Profiles, Sapa Building System and Sapa Heat Transfer and is represented in Europe, North America and Asia. The business concept is built on close cooperation with customers. Sapa is the leading company in its field of operation and have customers in the building, transport, engineering, telecom and home and office industry. The Sapa Group has combined net sales of 33,000 MSEK and aprox 14,500 employees. Sapa is part of Norwegian Orkla ASA. Further information can be found on the web site: www.sapagroup.com

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