MANDATORY OFFER BY MERCKX AS - PRELIMINARY RESULT OF THE OFFER

NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, 
IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR OTHER 
RESTRICTED TERRITORIES

Reference is made to the offer document dated 18 
September 2013 (the "Offer Document") regarding the 
mandatory offer made by Merckx AS ("Merckx" or 
the "Offeror") to acquire all outstanding shares in 
Blom ASA ("Blom" or the "Company") that are not 
already owned by the Offeror, at an offer price of 
NOK 0.10 per share (the "Offer").
 
The acceptance period of the Offer expired today, 17 
October 2013, at 16:30 CET.
 
The preliminary result of the Offer shows that the 
Offeror has received acceptance of the Offer for a 
total of 8,588,088 shares in the Company, 
representing approximately 25.5% of the issued shares 
in the Company. There may be adjustments to the 
preliminary result. The final result of the Offer 
will be announced at settlement of the Offer.

Together with the 12,283,969 shares already held by 
the Offeror in the Company, the Offeror will, at 
completion of the Offer, hold 20,872,057 shares in 
the Company, representing 61.9% of all the issued 
shares of the Company. 

In accordance with the terms and conditions set out 
in the Offer Document, settlement according to the 
Offer will take place as soon as possible and no 
later than on 31 October 2013. On the settlement 
date, the shares in the Company accepted and sold 
under this Offer will be transferred to the Offeror 
against consideration payable in cash. Settlement 
will be made in Norwegian Kroner (NOK).

ABG Sundal Collier Norge ASA is acting (solely) as 
receiving agent for Merckx in relation to the Offer. 
Tenden Advokatfirma ANS is acting as legal advisor to 
Merckx in relation to the Offer.

The Offeror is represented at the board of the 
Company through Tore Hopen, Kristian Gjertsen 
Lundkvist and Birgitte Askjem Ellingsen, and the 
Offeror is thus to be considered a primary insider of 
Blom for the purposes of mandatory notifications 
of trades.

Tønsberg, 17 October 2013

Contact:
Tore Hopen, Chairman of the Board in Merckx 
Telephone: +47 93 48 06 07


***


The Offer and the distribution of this announcement 
and other information in connection with the Offer 
may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. 
Merckx does not assume any responsibility in the 
event there is a violation by any person of such 
restrictions. Persons into whose possession this 
announcement or such other information should come 
are required to inform themselves about and to 
observe any such restrictions.