Environmental Services — February 8, 2010

Ballard Announces Sale-Leaseback for Cash Proceeds of C$20.8 Million

VANCOUVER, Feb. 8 /CNW/ - Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that it has entered into a sale-and-leaseback agreement with Madison Pacific Properties Inc. (TSX: MPC) (www.madisonpacific.ca). Ballard will sell its head office building site in Burnaby, British Columbia in return for gross cash proceeds of approximately C$20.8 million (US$19.5 million). The company will also enter into an initial fifteen-year lease agreement for the same property. The transaction is expected to close on March 9, 2010.

Bruce Cousins, Ballard's Chief Financial Officer, said, "This transaction presented an opportunity to extract cash from a non-core asset and further fortify our strong balance sheet, augmenting the company's cash reserves to approximately $100 million. At the same time, Ballard's continued use of the site is secured through a long-term lease arrangement."

John Sheridan, Ballard's President & CEO, added, "This transaction, along with the monetization of our Share Purchase Agreement and our progress in market development in 2009, has positioned Ballard for strong performance in 2010. We continue to expect revenue growth in excess of 35% and improved cash flow from operations by 30% in 2010, and positive EBITDA performance during 2011."

About Ballard Power Systems

Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements, including estimated revenue and cash flow from operations for 2010, which are provided to enable external stakeholders to understand Ballard's expectations as at the date of this release and may not be appropriate for other purposes. These forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of Ballard's management and reflect Ballard's current expectations as contemplated under section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such assumptions relate to Ballard's financial forecasts and expectations regarding its product development efforts, manufacturing capacity, and market demand, and include matters such as generating new sales, producing, delivering and selling the expected number of units, and controlling its costs.

These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Ballard's actual results to be materially different, including, without limitation, the condition of the global economy, the rate of mass adoption of its products, product development delays, changing environmental regulations, its ability to attract and retain business partners and customers, its access to funding, increased competition, its ability to protect its intellectual property, changes in its customers' requirements, foreign exchange impacts on its net monetary assets and its ability to provide the capital required for product development, operations and marketing. For a detailed discussion of these risk factors and other risk factors that could affect Ballard's future performance, please refer to Ballard's most recent Annual Information Form.

Readers should not place undue reliance on Ballard's forward-looking statements and Ballard assumes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as required under applicable legislation.

For further information: Investor Relations: Lori Rozali, (604) 412-3195, investors@ballard.com; Public Relations: Guy McAree, (604) 412-7919, media@ballard.com

Print | Email

Latest Industry Press Releases

Updated 18:01 MST, March 11, 2010  

Construction/Building

NorthGrid Solar Inc. opens regional offices in Ottawa and Sault Ste. Marie (2010-03-11)

The Ultimate Design Tool for Segmental Retaining Walls Now Available From Allan Block(R) -- AB Walls 10 (2010-03-11)

SNC-Lavalin refutes misinformation published on federal building contracts (2010-03-11)

Kids Crooked House Partners with Kinder Canada in Playhouse Giveaway (2010-03-11)

Media Advisory: Social Housing Renovation Announcement (2010-03-11)

Seacliff Awarded $8.4 Million Electrical Contract at Edmonton Clinic North (ECN) Bringing Total Work at ECN to $56.0 Million: Fourth Institutional Infrastructure Contract Win in 2010 (2010-03-11)

SNC-Lavalin awarded contract for the Junin 2 Block in Venezuela (2010-03-10)

Waterfront Toronto unveils Underpass Park: A visionary design for a unique public park in the West Don Lands (2010-03-10)

Public Storage Canadian Properties Announces Fourth Quarter 2009 Operating Results (2010-03-10)

Tarion unveils best of the new home building industry (2010-03-09)

Ritchie Bros. moves Lower Mainland auction site to expanded location in Chilliwack, B.C. (2010-03-09)

Royal Laser Provides Update on Strategic Review Process (2010-03-09)

SNC-Lavalin awarded contract for fertilizer plant in South Africa (2010-03-08)

BasicGov Systems, Inc. Reports Settlement with Harris Corporation (2010-03-08)

Media Advisory - Waterfront Toronto Unveils Design For Underpass Park - First Park of Its Kind to be Built in Toronto (2010-03-08)

International and local bidders compete for 1,800 equipment items in Toronto public auction (2010-03-08)

SCHL : Mises en chantier au Québec en février (2010-03-08)

Empire Industries Ltd. Successfully Closes $17.5 Million Refinancing (2010-03-08)

CMHC: Quebec Housing Starts in February (2010-03-08)

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Toronto Housing Starts Bounce Back (2010-03-08)

Black Diamond Group Limited to Announce Year End and Fourth Quarter 2009 Results (2010-03-05)

SNC-Lavalin announces fourth quarter and year-end results for 2009 (2010-03-05)

Churchill Announces Year-End Financial Results Conference Call and Webcast Notification (2010-03-05)

Retrocom Mid-Market REIT Announces 2009 Annual Financial Results (2010-03-04)

Groundbreaking of Interlink, completion value HK$4 billion DHL Supply Chain and Yusen confirmed anchor customers (2010-03-04)

Rocky Mountain Dealerships Inc. - Fourth Quarter Results Webcast - March 9, 2010 (2010-03-04)

E.ON Proposes Carbon Capture Pipeline for Kingsnorth, an Industrial Info News Alert (2010-03-04)

Killam Announces $44.0 Million Public Offering of Common Shares (2010-03-04)

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers reports increased revenue and strong results for 2009 (2010-03-04)

SNC-Lavalin awarded carbon capture project in Saskatchewan (2010-03-04)

MOST POPULAR STORIES
TODAY’S TOP CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

These projects have been selected from 355 projects with a total value of $1,340,902,487 that Reed Construction Data Building Reports reported on yesterday.

COMMERCIAL OFFICE, RETAIL BUILDING

$118,000,000 Toronto ON Negotiated

EDUCATIONAL BUILDING

$70,000,000 Mississauga ON Negotiated

SUBWAY STATION

$20,000,000 Vaughan ON Prebid

Daily Top 10

PROJECT NEWS BRIEFS