Ad hoc: Preliminary results 2008 - Constantia Packaging AG sales exceed ¤ 2 billion for the first time.

In the business year 2008 very positive results could be achieved
despite increasingly difficult market conditions. The growth in the
annual comparison is primarily due to the acquisition of AMAG, a
leading European supplier of selected aluminum premium products,
which was effected in Q4 2007.

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | 2008 prel. | 2007 EUR | Change in |
| | EUR m. | m. | percent |
| | | | |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| Sales | 2.078 | 1.566 | + 33 % |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| EBITDA | 290 | 243 | + 19 % |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| EBIT | 176 | 150 | + 17 % |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| | | | |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| Net Income | 74 | 91 | - 19 % |
| ( after minority shareholder | | | |
| interests ) | | | |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| Net Income | 84 | 70 | + 20 % |
| (before one-off effects) | | | |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| Earnings per share in EUR | 4,40 | 5,42 | |
|-------------------------------+------------+----------+-----------|
| Earnings per share in EUR | 5,00 | 4,17 | |
| (before one-off effects) | | | |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

According to preliminary results Group sales increased by about 33%
to approximately ¤ 2.078 m after ¤ 1.566 in the previous year. The
sharp decline in the aluminum price in the second half of 2008 had an
effect on Group sales of approx. ¤ minus 30 m. The business mix shows
36% of Group sales from the business segment Aluminium, 16 % from the
segment Corrugated Board and 48% from the Flexible Packaging segment.
On this basis the Group operates with AMAG to about one third in
businesses with medium cyclicality, two thirds of the business in
corrugated board and flexible packaging are in defensive, resilient
markets with low cyclicality due to a high share of customers in the
food, beverage and pharmaceutical branches. Earnings before interest,
taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 19% from ¤
243 m in 2007 to approx. ¤ 290 last year. In the course of the final
purchase price allocation of AMAG (in accordance with IFRS 3 within a
period of 12 months) the extraordinary result 2007 of the Group was
reduced by in total about ¤ 15 m in the Net Income and by ¤ 10 m in
the EBIT and EBITDA. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) grew
by approx. 17% from ¤ 150 m in 2007 to approx. ¤ 176 m.

Net Income after taxes and minority shareholder interests for 2008
amounted to approx. ¤ 74 m after ¤ 91 m in 2007. The reasons for the
lower net income are primarily the write-down of a shareholder loan
to a subsidiary, the non- recurrance of the equity result of AMAG in
2007 as well as higher deferred taxes. Net earnings before one-off
effects grew by approx. 20% from ¤ 70 m in 2007 to approx. ¤ 84 m in
2008. Earnings per share before one-off effects stood at ¤ 5.00 in
2008 after ¤ 4.17 in the previous year.

The full Annual Accounts will be published on April 2, 2009. Details
to the Annual Accounts will be explained by the Executive Board in a
press conference on April 2, 2009.

The Constantia Packaging Group, which is listed on the Vienna Stock
Exchange, has activities in the Aluminum, Corrugated Board and
Flexible Packaging segments. Approximately 8.400 employees working in
20 countries in Europe, Asia and North America produce primary
aluminum and semi-finished aluminum products, plastic and aluminum
packaging, paper and corrugated board for the food, beverage,
pharmaceutical, automotive, aerospace and other industries.

- End of statement -

For more information:
Constantia Packaging AG

Veronika Zügel
Communications

Wolfgang Schwaiger
Investor Relations

Dr. Hanno M. Bästlein
Chief Executive Officer

Opernring 17, A-1010 Vienna
Tel.: +43 (01) 588 55-330
Fax: +43 (01) 588 55-9330
E-Mail: info@constantia-packaging.com
Homepage: www.constantia-packaging.com

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