Hunter Douglas acquires Eclipse group, United Kingdom Rotterdam, September 4, 2002 – Hunter Douglas, the world market leader in window coverings, has acquired the Eclipse Group, a long established and leading window covering distributor based in the UK from Headlam Group plc; a European floor covering distributor.

Eclipse manufactures and distributes materials and components for a range of window covering products to independent assemblers; primarily in the UK. Eclipse’s headquarters and its fabric processing plant are located in Glasgow. In 2001 Eclipse had sales of GBP 35 million; the company employs about 305 people.

The acquisition of Eclipse will strengthen Hunter Douglas’ position in the UK wholesale window covering market, enhancing the range of products and services provided to the multitude of independent blindmakers that constitute the majority of the UK market.

Hunter Douglas has its head office in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and a management office in Luzern, Switzerland. The Group is comprised of a 147 companies with 63 manufacturing and 84 assembly operations in more than 100 countries. Hunter Douglas employs about 14,300 people and had sales in 2001 of EUR 1,730 million.

The shares of Hunter Douglas N.V. are traded on the Dutch, Swiss and German Stock Exchanges and as ADR’s on the over-the-counter market in New York.