TEMECULA, Calif., April 8, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Nicholas Investment Company, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NIVM) today announced that Chris Bickel, Chief Operations Officer and President of the Company's subsidiary, SINO UJE, Ltd., has embarked upon a three week trip to China to oversee the continued expansion of SINO's operations in China as well as exploring a number of new opportunities for Nicholas in the China market.
In the wake of a number of recent exclusive supplier agreements with suppliers in Europe and the U.S., Mr. Bickel and the SINO staff in China are integrating new products into SINO's product line, training new employees and solidifying the company's distribution network. Mr. Bickel will also work to move SINO UJE forward in the process of forming two Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprises (WOFEs) in China. The SINO team will also meet with suppliers from Germany, Italy and France who are in China to attend the SINOPHARM exhibition, the largest medical exhibition in China, which is held in the Wuhan, Hebei province.
"The acquisition by Nicholas in January has provided the growth capital for the expansion of the SINO UJE operation in China. This expansion includes the addition of several new suppliers and the formation of two joint ventures. We are working closely with representatives from our existing and new suppliers from the USA and Europe to increase our sales volume in both our industrial and medical divisions," commented Mr. Bickel.
About Nicholas Investment Company
Nicholas Investment Company, Inc. is a closed-end fund whose core focus is to seek out strategic investments in a number of growth industries. The company has acquired 100% of Javelin Holdings, Inc. (www.javelinholdings.com), a small business consulting firm, and 95% of SINO UJE (www.sinouje.com), a non-stocking distributor that sells and services western-manufactured high-tech products to markets throughout China. For more information on the Company and its Fund Portfolio or to sign up for the Company's mailing list, please visit, www.nicholasinvestments.com
All statements included in this release, including statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of Nicholas Investment Company, Inc. are forward-looking statements. Such statements are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and nature beyond Nicholas Investment Company, Inc.'s control. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Actual results may differ materially depending on many factors. Nicholas Investment Company, Inc cautions that historical results are not necessarily indicative of the future performance.