Imperial Tobacco Group today announced the acquisition of Gunnar Stenberg, the Norwegian distributor of tobacco products and accessories.

The unaudited gross asset value of the business at 31 December 2005, was £ 10 million and the consideration is not material in the context of Imperial Tobacco Group.
Gunnar Stenberg distributes a range of products in Norway, including rolling papers, cigarettes, fine cut tobacco, snus, and filter tubes. Gunnar Stenberg already distributes Rizla rolling papers in Norway and the acquisition will provide the opportunity to launch other Imperial Tobacco Group brands in the Norwegian market.
The acquisition follows Imperial Tobacco Group’s purchase of a 43 per cent stake in the Swedish snus manufacturer Skruf in September 2005, with a commitment to purchase the balance of the shares by mid-2009. (ci)