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PRESS RELEASE HALF-YEAR RESULTS

Punch International doubles its turnover and achievesspectacular increase in profit compared with the first half of lastyear

EMBARGO UNTIL August 25, 5 p.m.

Evergem, 25 August 2000

Punch International has posted very good figures for the first half of 2000. Bothturnover and profit and cash flow are entirely in line with the ambitious budgetsdrafted by the company. Turnover doubled from EUR 27.2 million in the first half of 1999 to EUR 54.8 million this year, and profit increased to EUR 1 million.

1. Unaudi ted and consolidated key figures

CONSOLIDATED KEY FIGURES , first half-year 2000(in thousands of EUR)

H1 99 1999 (1) H1 2000 00/99 Turnover 27 201 66 710 54 813 101,5%

Ebitda (2) 3 326 8 352 5 565 67,3%

Ebitda margin 12,2% 12,5% 10,2%

Operational profit (=EBIT) 539 3 215 2 874 433,3%

Ebit margin 2,0% 4,8% 5,2%

Financial results -451 -1 077 -977 116,7%

Current profit (profit on ordinary activities) 88 2 138 1 897 2056,0%

Extraordinary items 196 398 -104 -153,3%

Earnings before tax 284 2 536 1 793 531,3%

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H1 99 1999 (1) H1 2000 99/98Net profit 114 1.620 1 048 819,6%Group share

Third party share114

01.620

01022

26Cash flow (3) 2 691 7 114 4 287 59,3%

Earnings before amortization of goodwill 239 1 620 1 411 490%

Stockholders equity 28 960 30 794 31 245 7,7%

Net debt (4) 16 406 19 089 35 363 115,5%

Total balance 66 841 75 505 97 367 45,7%

Key figures by share(in euros)

Number of shares 1 304 420 1 304 420 1 304 420

Cash flow per share 2,06 5,45 3,29 59,3%

Profit per share before tax 0,28 1,94 1,37 390,0%

Net profit per share 0,11 1,24 0,80 613,8%

Proposed gross dividend 0,33

(1) Revised data(2) Ebitda =Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization and Provisions(3) Consolidated profit for the year +depreciation of intangible and tangible fixed assets +

depreciation on goodwill(4) Financial debt cash deposits cash at

hand and in bank(5) After all existing warrants (40,000) have

been exercised

Notes

Turnover for the first half doubled. Internal growth stood at 40%. However,increasing commodity prices, which could not all be directly passed on, putpressure on margins. As a result, the EBITDA margin decreased to 10.2%.But EBITDA and cash flow increased by 60%. Profit on ordinary activities rosefrom EUR 88,000 to EUR 1,897,000.

Owing to the acquisition of Strobbe, amortization of goodwill rose to EUR362,000. Considering the extent and strategic importance, the decision wastaken to amortize the goodwill on this take-over over twenty years.

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2. Key events in the fir st half of 2000

At the end of J anuary Punch International acquired 100% of the shares inStrobbe NV. Based in West Flanders, this company is an important supplierof computer-to-plate systems to Agfa-Gevaert. With this take-over Punchsignificantly strengthened its position as a supplier of systems.

In February Punch took over the business of Dufour Automation in a 50-50 joint venture with the company's new management. Based in Lille (France),Dufour Automation manufactures and assembles small series: industrialautomation, payment terminals and electric control panels. These activitiesare being continued by the new company under the name Punch Dufour

Automation.

In J anuary 2000 Punch signed an agreement with Philips DisplayComponents Ottawa, a division of Philips Electronics North America (Ohio,USA). As from the end of May 2000 Punch was to be responsible for theproduction of rimbands for Philips Components in North America. However,the start-up of the production unit was delayed the business was fully upand running by the end of J uly.

3. Profile

Set up in 1982, Punch International manufactures and assembles components,sub-systems and end products for Original Equipment Manufacturers in theconsumer and professional electronics industry.

Punch achieved turnover of EUR 6 6 million in 1999. The group has tenproduction units; together these employ some 1,800 people in six countries.Punch will continue to vigorously implement its growth strategy in the future.

Punch has been listed on the Brussels stock exchange first market since March1999.

4. Strategy

Punch International's strategy aims at further developing the company in thefuture as a supplier of end products on the consumer and professionalelectronics market.

Punch offers its customers Electronics Manufacturing Services: an integratedpackage of services and activities. This has been dubbed Electronics

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Manufacturing Solutions by Punch since, unlike other producers, it is able toproduce systems entirely in-house.

Punch manufacturers and assembles both mechanical and electronic component

systems. This concept of one-stop-shopping means the company is able tomeet the market's most important requirements great flexibility, short time-to-market and strict cost management.

5. Outlook

The general outlook is favourable: there is a positive trend in both the economicclimate and the outsourcing market.

Punch International will further its growth strategy in the second half of 2000. Theextended unit in Dreux is to become operational in September: this will result in aconsiderable increase in production capacity in France.

In August Punch signed heads of agreement with the Hungarian holdingcompany Pannonplast for the sale of the unit in Szksfehervar (Hungary). Thissale will result in lower operating profit in the autumn, but it will generate anextraordinary capital gain. The cash resources freed up will be used to fund anumber of new projects.

For further informationon the group and developments in activities, please visit our updated Website:http://www.punchinternational.com where you can also read our QuarterlyNewsletter.

You may also contact: J an SmitsPunch International

J acques Parijslaan 6-89940 Evergem

Tel: 32 (0)9 257 6314Fax: 32 (0)9 257 6310