RNS Number:3767U
Helesi PLC
04 April 2007


4 April 2007


                                   Helesi PLC
                          ("Helesi" or "the Company")
                                        
                                Award of Grants
                                        

Greek Ministry of Finance Approves Grants for Helesi's Investment Programme

Helesi PLC (AIM: HLS), the Greece and UK based waste management products
manufacturer and services supplier announces an expansion of its production
facilities at Komotini in Greece to be partially funded by grants totalling
€11.4 million from the Greek Ministry of Finance. The award will enable the
Company to invest an additional €20.8 million over and above the €60 million
investment programme described in the admission document issued at the time of
Admission to AIM in November 2006.

The expansion of Helesi's Komotini facilities over the next two years will see
production capacity double for two and four wheel plastic bins and pallet boxes
in anticipation of stronger demand and increased sales. In addition, the
investment will provide the Company with the latest generation of manufacturing
technology that will increase efficiency, lower unit costs and free up older
equipment for use elsewhere.

The total investment of €20.8 million comprises €11.4 million of grants, €4.2
million from a secured long term debt facility and €5.2 million from the
Company's internal cash flow. The expansion programme will commence in August of
this year and is scheduled to be completed in September 2009.

Commenting on the new investment, Sakis Andrianopoulos, Helesi's Chief
Executive, said:

"We are very pleased, and grateful, that we have been able to secure these
grants from the Finance Ministry. This additional investment programme will
enable us to maintain and, we believe, to increase our competitive advantage as
we address our fast growing markets."


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Enquiries:

Helesi PLC                                   + 30 210 60 48 393-4
Sakis Andrianopoulos, Chief Executive
Apostolos Binomakis, Finance Director        binomakis@helesi.com


Tavistock Communications                     + 44 20 7920 3150
Simon Hudson
Rachel Drysdale                              rdrysdale@tavistock.co.uk


For further information, please visit www.helesi.com




About Helesi

Helesi is a Greece and UK based specialist designer and manufacturer of plastic
products mainly for use in the waste management industry and provider of waste
management services. The Group also produces other injection moulded plastic
products such as pallet boxes and other material handling products.


Its activities comprise:

   • the design and manufacture of a broad range of plastic waste containers
     including 2 and 4 wheeled bins, pre-sorting bins and the full range of EN
     840 standard containers selling into the waste management market;
   • the provision of waste management services (mainly waste collection,
     container washing, street sweeping and recyclable materials collection).
   • the design and manufacture of material handling plastic products (pallet
     boxes and crates) for agricultural, domestic and industrial use and other
     injection-moulding plastic products such as pre-sorting waste bins, fish
     crates, and stadium seats;
   • the supply of special vehicles and equipment for the waste management
     industry; and
   • the recycling of used vehicle tyres


Demand for Helesi's products and services in developed waste management markets
is driven by increasingly stringent national and local government regulation on
waste management and recycling. Growing demand is also being experienced in
developing countries, which are looking to establish centralised and orderly
waste management services.

In the financial year to 31 December 2005, Helesi recorded turnover of €25.34
million and pre-tax profits of €3.20 million. In the last 3 years the Group has
delivered, through organic growth, an impressive array of performance targets.
Sales have more than doubled while profits before and after taxes have increased
by 75%.

Helesi has developed a strong market position in both the developed waste
management markets of Western Europe as well as in the high growth markets of
South-eastern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. With a commercial
presence in 48 countries established through an extensive network of
distributors, the Company realises more than 70% of its sales internationally.
The Group is one of the main suppliers of wheeled bins to the waste management
industry in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Norway, Greece and South East Europe.
The Directors believe that the Group's current market share in the plastic waste
containers market is approximately 6% in the European Union and 3% worldwide.

The Group has production facilities located in Greece and in the UK and plans to
build a third production facility in Italy. Its manufacturing facilities are
equipped with injection moulding machines based on the latest technology,
utilising robotic production, automatic and semi-automatic assembly and
packaging methods. The Group is one of only nine producers of the full range of
EN approved waste containers worldwide.

In November 2006, the Group listed on the AIM market of the London Stock
Exchange, having raised £11.6 million (approximately €17.0 million). The Group's
shares trade under the symbol "HLS".




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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