Bio-Rad Announces Pricing of Private Offering of $200 Million of Senior Subordinated Notes

Bio-Rad Announces Pricing of Private Offering of $200 Million of
Senior Subordinated Notes 


HERCULES, Calif., Dec. 13  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
(AMEX: BIO; BIOb), a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science
research products and clinical diagnostics, announced that it has agreed to
sell $200 million aggregate principal amount of its 6 1/8% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2014 in a private offering. The Company intends to close the
transaction on December 21, 2004.

The Company intends to use the proceeds for working capital and general
corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions.

The new Senior Subordinated Notes have not been registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or applicable state securities laws, and will be
offered only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A and in
offshore transactions pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended. Unless so registered, the new Senior Subordinated Notes may
not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption
from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state
securities laws.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of
an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these
securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of
any such state.

Various statements made within this press release may constitute "forward-
looking statements" for purposes of the Securities and Exchange Commission's
"safe harbor" provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-
looking statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties that could
cause results to differ materially from the Company's expectations. 

DATASOURCE: Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.



CONTACT:  Christine Tsingos, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,

or Ron Hutton, Treasurer, both of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., [phone],

or 



Web site:  http://www.bio-rad.com/ 

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