Séché Environnement: Acquisition of HPS Nuclear Services

Regulatory News:

Séché Environnement (Paris:SCHP) is pleased to announce its acquisition of HPS Nuclear Services, a global specialist in radiation protection. This acquisition strengthens Séché Environnement's position on the VLL waste market developed by its Séché Energies subsidiary.

A radiation protection specialist (mitigation and shielding calculations related to radiation issues), HPS Nuclear Services designs, manufactures and installs biological protection solutions suitable for the structures and equipment located at nuclear facilities.

Through its research office, (design-build, modeling, earthquake resistance, etc.) and its production and smelting facility (particularly in lead), HPS Nuclear Services serves a client base in the energy and industrial sectors in the fields of nuclear maintenance and logistics, biological protection (all configurations, both fixed and mobile), decontamination, decommissioning, waste treatment, asbestos removal and nuclear training.

HPS Nuclear Services is also the only producer of ISO type A containers (10, 20 and 40 feet) approved and certified by the French Nuclear Safety Authority.

HPS Nuclear Services has been certified by numerous bodies including the French Committee for the Training and Supervision of Personnel Working with Ionizing Radiation / CEFRI ("E” certification), Areva (Domains 3 and 4), the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission / CEA (Domains D3-1 / D3-2 / D4.2-E) and EDF (UT0 Case 2) and has received Confidentiel Défense (Confidential Defense) clearance, complementing the certifications already obtained by Séché Energies for activities in ionized radiation environments.

With two sites, HPS Nuclear Services has approximately 40 employees and earned revenue of around €4 million in 2015.

The company is growing on a high value-added niche market with strong potential because of its essential role among nuclear stakeholders.

Its major achievements include:

1. The development and provision of biological protection solutions for maintenance operations on large components of France's nuclear facilities;
2. The decommissioning and management of waste for a European Nuclear Research Center;
3. Earthquake resistance calculation of equipment and biological protection as part of international post-Fukushima measures.

Through the acquisition of HPS Nuclear Services, Séché Energies is strengthening and expanding its range of solutions across the entire spectrum of the nuclear sector and gaining high-capacity industrial facilities for metal smelting and processing for the nuclear industry.

HPS Nuclear Services will also benefit Séché Energies through its longstanding commercial presence among leading industry players.

Séché Environnement created Séché Energies in 2015. The subsidiary manages very low-level (VLL) radioactive waste, originating mainly in the operation of nuclear power facilities from the energy, research, industrial and nuclear medicine and radiation therapy sectors.

Through its expertise with VLL waste, Séché Energies contributes to Séché Environnement's range of solutions for its existing clientele of industrial groups, pharmaceutical laboratories and hospitals. Séché Energies also provides the Group with access to new markets for its full range of solutions, both in France and internationally.

This acquisition illustrates the Group’s development strategy in high-potential, high-expertise niche markets.

About Séché Environnement
Séché Environnement is one of the leading players in the recovery and treatment of all types of waste in France, from both industry and from local communities.

Séché Environnement is the leading independent operator in the country with a unique positioning specializing in technical risk, at the hub of the closed markets with high entry barriers in waste treatment and recovery.

Its facilities and expertise enable it to provide high value-added solutions to its industrial and public authority clients, targeting the challenges of the circular economy and sustainable development requirements such as:

• recovery or energy recovery of hazardous and non-hazardous waste;
• all types of treatments for solid, liquid or gaseous waste (thermal, physical-chemical or biological treatment);
• storage of final hazardous and non-hazardous waste;
• eco-services such as pollution remediation, decommissioning, asbestos removal and rehabilitation.

Based on its extensive expertise, Séché Environnement has successfully developed its environmental services business lines in waste management outsourcing markets for its clientele of large communities and major industrial companies both in France and abroad.

Séché Environnement has been listed on Eurolist by Euronext since November 27, 1997.

It is eligible for equity savings funds dedicated to investing in SMEs and is listed in the CAC Mid&Small and Enternext PEA-PME 150 indexes.

Important notice
This press release may contain information of a provisional nature. This information represents either trends or targets at the date of the press release's publication and should not be considered as results forecasts or as any other type of performance indicators. This information is by nature subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to foresee and usually beyond the Company's control, which may imply that expected results and developments differ significantly from announced trends and targets. These risks notably include those described in the Company’s Registration Document, which is available on its website (www.groupe-seche.com). This information therefore does not reflect the Company's future performance, which may differ considerably, and no guarantee can be given as to the achievement of these forward-looking figures. The Company makes no commitment on the updating of this information. More complete information on the Company can be found on its website (www.groupe-seche.com), under Regulated Information. This press release does not constitute an offer of shares or a solicitation in view of an offer of shares in any country whatsoever, including the United States. Distribution of this press release may be subject to the laws and regulations in force in France or abroad. Persons in possession of this press release must be aware of these restrictions and observe them.

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