Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto/USA, has bought the Triaton group, Krefeld/Germany - one of Germany`s largest vendor-independent IT companies ? from ThyssenKrupp AG. The acquisition is subject to EU regulatory approval and the required Supervisory Board resolutions.

With 140,000 employees and worldwide sales of 58 billion euros ($73.1 billion), Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a technology solutions provider to consumers, enterprises and small and medium businesses and institutions. The company`s offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. In Germany HP has 7,500 employees and generated sales of 5.1 billion euros in 2002.

Triaton has some 2,200 employees and sales of approximately 370 million euros. In recent weeks, ThyssenKrupp has been in intensive talks with a number of potential purchasers. At the same time as the purchase agreement, the ThyssenKrupp Group will conclude a seven-year framework agreement with Triaton as the basis for a close, long-term relationship with ThyssenKrupp`s subsidiaries.

Francesco Serafini, Senior Vice President and General Manager, HP Services, Europe, Middle East and Africa says: "This acquisition supports HP`s growth strategy and underlines the significance of our strategic partnership with ThyssenKrupp. We are delighted by this addition to our competencies, which will benefit our customers."

ThyssenKrupp AG`s CEO Professor Dr. Ekkehard Schulz added: "Triaton and ThyssenKrupp will profit from Hewlett-Packard`s broad product and service offering as a technology leader and global IT provider."

ThyssenKrupp is an international industrial group with activities in three main areas: steel, capital goods and services. The company has sales of 36 billion euros, 190,000 employees and occupies mainly top-3 market positions with its products and services. With a view to focusing more sharply on its core businesses, after the merger the Group identified non-core business areas for divestment with a total sales volume of 8.4 billion euros. The disposal of Triaton is part of this program. In the past fiscal year alone, there were 39 changes to ThyssenKrupp`s portfolio. Since the merger in 1999, companies with sales of 3.6 billion euros have been sold, and businesses with sales of 5.5 billion euros acquired.

Contact:

Dr. Jürgen Claassen
Corporate Communications and Central Bureau
Telephone +49 211 824-36002
Fax +49 211 824-36005
E-Mail: presse@tk.thyssenkrupp.com
www.thyssenkrupp.com