The aircraft engine manufacturer GE Aviation intends to offer shareholders 38.00 euros per share. This is around 30 percent higher than SLM's share price on the date of the announcement on September 6. Both companies welcome the planned merger of their activities as a great and long-term opportunity for their customers, employees and shareholders. Hans-Joachim Ihde, founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SLM Solutions Group AG, is pleased: "General Electric has been with us as a user and customer since our early days. They have played a pioneering role in aerospace technology and recognized the advantages of selective laser melting at an early stage, for example in terms of reducing the weight of components. They are very familiar with SLM Solutions' multi-laser technology and its competitive advantages."

The offer is to be carried out by GE Germany Holdings AG, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of GE Aviation. As part of the business combination agreement signed between GE Aviation and SLM Solutions on September 6, 2016, GE Aviation stated that it will continue to support SLM Solutions' existing innovative corporate culture. In addition to the commitment to maintain and expand the headquarters in Lübeck and the company's other locations, this also includes a commitment to the workforce and the existing management as drivers of the company's success. In addition, GE Aviation plans to support the company's further growth in a variety of ways, for example by improving the global distribution of its products and services. The existing customer base is to be retained and expanded. The further development of SLM Solutions into a provider of additive manufacturing solutions is a strategically important step for GE Aviation on its way to becoming a digital industrial company.

Since its IPO in 2014, SLM Solutions has been pursuing a three-pillar strategy that includes the expansion of its global sales and service network, a focus on research and development, and further development into an integrated solutions provider. Since the beginning of the year, strategic partnerships have been concluded in the areas of consumables and software, which are intended to contribute to the further spread of additive manufacturing processes in the industry and improve user-friendliness.

The implementation of the takeover bid will be subject to a few standard market conditions, in particular the achievement of a minimum acceptance threshold of 75% and approval by the relevant antitrust authorities.