UPDATE: Imperial Tobacco Group Plc invests in 43.5% stake in Sweden's Skruf Snus AB

Nordic Business Report, Sept 21, 2005

NORDIC BUSINESS REPORT-21 September 2005-UPDATE: Imperial Tobacco Group Plc invests in 43.5% stake in Sweden's Skruf Snus AB(C)1994-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com

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The Swedish tobacco company Skruf Snus AB said on Tuesday (20 September) that it had entered into a strategic alliance with the United Kingdom-based international tobacco group Imperial Tobacco Group Plc.

As part of the alliance Imperial Tobacco has acquired a 43.5% stake in Skruf Snus.

The companies have also signed a distribution agreement under which Skruf Snus will distribute certain Imperial Tobacco products on the Swedish market.

According to SVT Text, the teletext service of the Swedish broadcaster SVT, Imperial Tobacco is paying some SEK80m for the shares. Imperial Tobacco has reportedly also agreed to acquire the remaining shares in 2009.

One Swedish krona (SEK) is worth approximately 0.07 British pounds (GBP).

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