| SOUTHBOROUGH,
MA--Protonex Technology Corporation (LSE: PTX), a leading manufacturer
of high-performance, portable fuel cell power systems, announced today
that, in reference to its announcement on 26 March 2007, it has conditionally
placed 16,000,000 new common shares (“Placing Shares”) to institutional
and other investors at 88 pence per share (US$1.725) to raise approximately
US$27.6 million (£14.1 million) before expenses. The placing is conditional,
inter alia, upon admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM. Goldman
Sachs and Parker Hannifin Corporation were lead investors in the financing.
Application will be made for the
Placing Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM and trading is expected
to commence on 3 April 2007. The Placing Shares will represent approximately
24.8 percent of the enlarged issued common share capital of the Company,
based on the share capital after taking into account the issue of the common
shares resulting from the acquisition of Mesoscopic Devices. This second
listing follows an initial placing in July 2006 which raised US$13.6 million
(£7.4 million) net of expenses.
The proceeds of this secondary financing
will be used to fund the acquisition of Mesoscopic Devices, to continue
commercialization and marketing of the Company’s existing and new products
for commercial and military markets, to further its development of advanced
fuel cell and fueling technologies, to implement volume production operations
with its contract manufacturing partners, to provide funds for general
corporate purposes and working capital and for selective acquisitions of,
or investments in, adjacent technologies or businesses that complement
or expand the Company’s existing business.
“With this secondary financing and
the acquisition of Mesoscopic Devices, we have taken the business to the
next stage in its development and are well- positioned to bring our high-performance
fuel cell power systems to market,” said Scott Pearson, Chief Executive
Officer of Protonex. “We are also delighted to have the support of so many
excellent investors as we go forward, including Goldman Sachs and our industrial
partner, Parker Hannifin.”
|