Kennametal to Acquire Deloro Stellite

LATROBE, Pa., Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the Deloro Stellite Group from Duke Street Capital for approximately euro 277 million.  The acquisition, which is expected to close in 60 to 90 days, remains subject to customary regulatory approval and negotiated conditions of closing.

UK-based Deloro Stellite, with approximately euro 220 million in annual sales, is a global manufacturer and provider of alloy-based critical wear solutions for extreme environments involving high temperature, corrosion and abrasion. The company employs approximately 1,300 people across seven primary operating facilities globally, including locations in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, India and China. Through proprietary metal alloys and materials expertise as well as specialized engineering design and fabrication capabilities, Deloro Stellite delivers value-added, tailored wear solutions for customers in Kennametal's current end markets of oil/gas, power generation, transportation, and aerospace.

"Deloro Stellite has a long-standing history of providing exceptional value to customers in demanding environments and we are pleased they have agreed to join the Kennametal team," commented Carlos Cardoso, Kennametal Chairman, President and CEO.  "The addition of this world-class surface technology and materials science expertise will enhance the range of productivity solutions provided to our customers in extreme wear environments."

This acquisition is in alignment with Kennametal's growth strategy and positions the company to further achieve geographic and end market balance. The transaction is expected to be accretive to earnings in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. Kennametal plans to fund the acquisition through existing credit facilities and operating cash flow, and remains committed to maintaining its investment grade ratings.

Kennametal conducts acquisitions according to a disciplined process that is part of the company's management operating system known as the Kennametal Value Business System (KVBS).  The Valence Group provided investment advisory services for Kennametal on the transaction.

The acquisition of Deloro Stellite will be discussed further in a live Internet broadcast at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time today. Listen via real-time audio on the Kennametal website at www.kennametal.com. Select "Investor Relations" and then "Events." The replay and presentation slides for this event will also be available on the company's website through February 16, 2012.

Certain statements in this release may be forward-looking in nature, or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. For example, statements about the timing of consummation of the transaction and Kennametal's outlook for earnings are forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are based on current knowledge, expectations and estimates that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, our actual results could vary materially from our current expectations. There are a number of factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. They include: the failure of any conditions to consummation of the transaction not being satisfied or waived, economic recession; availability and cost of the raw materials we use to manufacture our products; our foreign operations and international markets, such as currency exchange rates, different regulatory environments, trade barriers, exchange controls, and social and political instability; changes in the regulatory environment in which we operate, including environmental, health and safety regulations; our ability to protect and defend our intellectual property; competition; our ability to retain our management and employees; demands on management resources; demand for and market acceptance of our products; integrating acquisitions and achieving the expected savings and synergies; business divestitures; and implementation of environmental remediation matters. Many of these risks are more fully described in Kennametal's latest annual report on Form 10-K and its other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of future events or developments.

Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) delivers productivity to customers seeking peak performance in demanding environments by providing innovative custom and standard wear-resistant solutions. This proven productivity is enabled through our advanced materials sciences and application knowledge. Our commitment to a sustainable environment provides additional value to our customers. Companies operating in everything from airframes to coal mining, from engines to oil wells and from turbochargers to construction recognize Kennametal for extraordinary contributions to their value chains. In fiscal year 2011, customers bought approximately $2.4 billion of Kennametal products and services – delivered by approximately 12,000 talented employees doing business in more than 60 countries – with more than 50 percent of these revenues coming from outside North America. Visit us at www.kennametal.com.

SOURCE Kennametal Inc.