ACCUSATIONS OF ESPIONAGE FROM VENTIS

Ventis Energietechnik of Braunschweig is bringing charges against five of its former executive members of staff who left to found a new company, Dewind. Matthias Krebs, Vester Kruse, Hugo Schippmann, Dietrich Mayer and Rüdiger Kortenkamp are accused of espionage and burglary. "The public prosecutor's office has found exhibits which prove that Dewind company intends to commercialise a 500 kW wind turbine similar to the Ventis V12 wind turbine," states Ventis. "The investigation in this criminal matter has been conducted by the public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig. A civil law suit arising from the damage caused to and losses suffered by Ventis Energietechnik is now being prepared." Ventis confirms it has severe liquidity problems but is hoping to announce a partnership with a large German company which should set it back on its feet. Meantime the firm's Hartwig Schlueter says Ventis will be opening a new assembly workshop in Thuringia at the start of 1996 for its 500 kW machine. Originally the 500 kW turbine was to be assembled by Pogge in Gelsenkirchen but this company went bankrupt last July. As a result the first three 500 kW turbines contracted to Pogge are to be built by Cravan in east German Neubrandenburg. Cravan is a joint owner with Ventis of the company Nordwind of Neubrandenburg, which will buy the Ventis 500 kW machines and sell them in the east under the Nordwind name.