AED Graphics Takes Over Capital Shares of SICAD GEOMATICS

MUNICH, Germany, May 13, 2002 - Effective May 31, 2002, AED Graphics AG of Bonn is taking over SICAD Geomatics GmbH & Co. oHG (SICAD GEOMATICS) as a shareholder. SICAD GEOMATICS will remain an independent company as before. The acquisition of the capital shares of SICAD GEOMATICS underlines AED's clear objective of further expanding its business with geo-information systems and achieving a stronger position on the market. AED and SICAD GEOMATICS will be combining their know-how and their skills to create optimum solutions for the users of geo-information systems.

AED and SICAD GEOMATICS will be developing a joint solution for the coming ALKIS standard (official land registry information system) based on ESRI and Leica Geosystems technology. The strategic importance of ALKIS for users and suppliers of geo-information systems is the central driving force for cooperation of AED Graphics and SICAD GEOMATICS. The technical resources of the two companies will be joined in such a way that the combined knowledge and experience can be used to produce an optimum standard solution with a minimum leadtime. In addition, existing customers will receive special support when migrating from their current data and systems to ALKIS.

SICAD GEOMATICS will remain an independent company as before with all the contractual rights and obligations to its customers and partners. The corporate strategy and the product and solutions portfolio will also remain unchanged. For customers and market participants, the tried and trusted organizational structures and contacts will continue to be available at SICAD GEOMATICS. To provide investment security for existing and new users of SICAD, the business activities of the company will be continually expanded.

The existing products (land management and utilities applications) and technologies will continue to be developed, marketed and maintained for the benefit of customers. The worldwide sales and partner network of ESRI, Leica Geosystems and Siemens AG will provide an even stronger international market presence underlining the assured future and close customer contact of the associated companies. SICAD GEOMATICS will also continue to benefit from the international presence of Siemens AG as a product partner.

AED has been active since 1972 in the field of spatial information systems with particular emphasis on solutions based on the Automated Property Map (ALK), local and environmental planning and the supply and waste disposal industries. Since the start of 2001, Leica Geosystems AG of Heerbrugg in Switzerland has had a shareholding in AED. With Leica Geosystems and ESRI Inc. there is a strategic partnership for the development and marketing of an international land registry solution.

The SICAD geo-information system has been on the market since 1979, and SICAD GEOMATICS has been managed as an independent company since 1998. SICAD GEOMATICS and its SICAD UTILITIES subsidiary employ around 180 people in the development and marketing of basic technologies and applications for customers in Germany and abroad. The focus is on solutions for land registries, supply companies and waste disposal organizations and on information systems for communities and real estate companies.