(24/10/2007) Solvay Unveils "More Plastics with More Performance" at K2007 International Plastics Trade Fair

Embargo : October 24, 2007 at 2:00 PM Brussels Time Solvay announces today that it has unveiled a number of innovative products at a press conference on the opening of the K2007 International Plastics Trade Fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, including the new family of SolvivaTM Biomaterials available for use in implantable medical devices as well as extensions to its Hyflon® and Tecnoflon® fluoropolymers ranges. These product launches reinforce Solvay's position as the manufacturer of the world's widest offering of plastic materials, with a strong emphasis on the very top end of the range in terms of performance. "More Plastics with More Performance" is the motto of Solvay's presence at the K2007 (Hall 6, Stand D76 from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31), which is the world's most important event of its kind, with nearly a quarter of a million visitors. SolvivaTM Biomaterials are a dynamic new family of polymers offered for use in implantable medical devices (see www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com). Solvay Advanced Polymers, a 100% Solvay subsidiary, has invested considerable resources to produce SolvivaTM Biomaterials, the world's broadest range of thermoplastics available offered for use in medical implant devices. Those investments include dedicated facilities and assets to ensure compliance with relevant aspects of stringent international standards (ISO 13485) and current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for drug and health products, as promulgated by the US Food and Drug Administration. The new products in the Tecnoflon® range manufactured by Solvay Solexis, a 100% Solvay subsidiary, are designed for tackling complex, newly arising issues in critical industries - such as the energy sector, semiconductor manufacturing and the automotive sector. The Group has also developed a new family of Tecnoflon® HS fluoroelastomers which retain exceptional performance levels while improving their environmental impact, thanks to shorter manufacturing processes. The upcoming commercial launch of a new family of MFA resins, the Hyflon® F-Series, designed as a replacement for fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), with higher clarity, improved electrical properties and higher service temperature, was also announced today. These materials are for instance achieving a commercial breakthrough in the automotive sector, where they are used in high temperature resistant cables. The expansion of the range will fuel the rapid growth of Hyflon® MFA products, which is supported by a new world-class plant recently commissioned in Spinetta, Italy. On the occasion of the K2007 Fair, Solvay's joint venture for vinyls in Europe, SolVin, will host a ceremony for the attribution of the third SolVin Awards for PVC Innovation, on October 29 in Düsseldorf. Awards and prize money will distinguish the most impressive innovators among 107 contestants representing the entire vinyl value chain, whose projects were particularly geared, this year, towards recycling and design. (see www.solvinpvc.com) "Solvay has ambitious expansion plans, aiming at lifting the sales of the Group's Plastics sector by EUR 760 million by 2010. As shown here in Düsseldorf, we develop new products for complex and fast-growing applications; we scout for the most dynamic markets and supply them with the solutions they need. The bulk of our investments are resolutely geared towards growth and our project pool is now more robust than ever, with for instance the recently announced construction of a world-class vinyl production site in Russia," commented Jacques van Rijckevorsel, Member of the Executive Committee and General Manager of the Plastics Sector, Solvay. SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 29,000 people in 50 countries. In 2006, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 9.4 billion, generated by its three sectors of activity: Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay (NYSE Euronext: SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR) is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels. Details are available at www.solvay.com For further information please contact: MARTIAL TARDY Corporate Press Officer SOLVAY S.A. Phone: 32 2 509 72 30 E-mail : martial.tardy@solvay.com Internet: www.solvaypress.com PATRICK VERELST Investor Relations SOLVAY S.A. Phone. 32 2 509 72 43 E-mail : patrick.verelst@solvay.com Internet: www.solvay-investors.com Ce communiqué de presse est également disponible en français - Dit persbericht is ook in het Nederlands beschikbaar Copyright Hugin [CN#127120]