Aarburg, March 2, 2021 - The Swiss Franke Group, headquartered in Aarburg, has entered into an agreement to divest its Franke Water Systems division. The buyers are funds advised by Equistone Partners Europe (Equistone). The transaction includes the two Franke Water Systems’ business units “Water Systems (WS) Commercial Group” and “KWC Group” with its production and sales facilities in Switzerland, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and China.

Aarburg, March 1, 2021 - The Franke Group is strengthening its Board of Directors as of March 19, 2021 with Tanja Vainio, a recognized industry expert with many years of international management experience.

Aarburg, January 12, 2021 - In July 2020, the Franke Group announced the merger of the Faber Hoods & Cooking Systems and Franke Kitchen Systems divisions. As of January 1, 2021, the new division will operate under the name of Franke Home Solutions. The Franke Group is thereby pooling its expertise in the areas of food preparation and cooking for the residential kitchen. The vision is to be present in each and every household with a Franke anchor product.

Aarburg, August 25, 2020 - The Artemis Group looks back on a very challenging first half of 2020, especially the second quarter, due to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both society and economy. With the exception of the Artemis Real Estate Group, the other business activities, Franke Group, Feintool Group and Artemis Asset Management Group, recorded a lack of earnings contributions and additional costs, including those incurred by the COVID-19-related shutdown of production plants for several weeks. As a result, the Group experienced a double-digit decline in organic sales growth in the first six months of 2020, with negative currency effects due to the strengthening of the Swiss franc against almost all currencies, which caused an additional decline in sales.

Aarburg, July 15, 2020 - The Franke Group is bundling its strengths in the segments of food preparation, cooking and exhaust air purification for domestic kitchens, and is gradually merging its Faber Hoods & Cooking Systems and Franke Kitchen Systems divisions with immediate effect. The new division will be operational as of January 1, 2021. The aim is to consolidate and further expand Franke's leading market position in these areas in the long term. As a result of the organizational adjustments, there will be a personnel change in the Franke Management Board.

Aarburg, June 23, 2020 - Roger Basler, Head of the Franke Water Systems division, is leaving the company at his own request at the end of July to take on new challenges. Patrik Wohlhauser, CEO of the Franke Group, will take over the leadership of the division.

Aarburg, May 26, 2020 - Overall 2019 was a good financial year for the Artemis Group. The Group managed to increase its sales and profitability considerably in comparison to the previous year. This gratifying sales growth was largely driven by acquisition effects (Franke Group), which outweighed the negative currency effects owing to the strong appreciation of the Swiss franc. Moreover, Franke Group's operating result (EBIT) increased as a result of low restructuring costs and the omission of impairments.

Aarburg, May 12, 2020 – Benoît D. Ludwig was elected as new Chairman of the Board of Directors at the ordinary Annual General Meeting of Artemis Holding AG. The current Vice Chairman succeeds Thomas A. Erb. Nina Pieper is the new Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors.