Solvay Advanced Polymers Selects Plant Site in Marietta, Ohio for New Sulfone Polymers Production Unit

New facility will nearly triple polyethersulfone capacity

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Aug. 30 -- U.S.-based Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C., announced today that it will build the previously announced world-scale sulfone polymers production unit at its plant site in Marietta, Ohio.

Construction on the new unit is expected to start during the 4th Quarter of 2005, with the production facility being fully operational by the end of 2006. When operating at full capacity, the new unit will nearly triple Solvay Advanced Polymers' existing polyethersulfone (PES) production capacity. This significant investment has an installed cost exceeding $50 million.

"The magnitude of this expansion demonstrates our commitment to sulfone polymers and allows us to supply large growing markets, such as automotive lighting, telecommunications and food service," says Roger Kearns, president of Solvay Advanced Polymers. "In addition to this new plant, we continue to invest in R&D as well as application development in order to serve our customers and create growth in new markets for many years to come."

As with the company's existing sulfone polymers facilities, the unit will be able to produce the full suite of RADEL(R) products, which include RADEL(R) A polyethersulfone and RADEL(R) R polyphenylsulfone. The exceptional properties of these products -- including chemical and heat resistance, toughness, transparency and dimensional stability -- make them well suited for demanding applications in aerospace, automotive, electronic, electrical and consumer goods.

Solvay Advanced Polymers recently expanded its sulfone polymer product line with the introduction of SUPRADEL(TM) HTS. This brand new polymer offers the highest heat resistance of any transparent amorphous thermoplastic commercially available today.

About Solvay

Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C., produces high-performance polymers that are used in a wide range of demanding applications in the automotive, aerospace, industrial, foodservice, medical, and electronics industries worldwide. More information about Solvay Advanced Polymers products and services can be found on the company's website at http://www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com/.

Solvay Advanced Polymers is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Solvay Group, an international chemical and pharmaceutical group headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. The Solvay Group, whose companies employ about 30,000 people in 50 countries, recorded consolidated sales for 2004 of EUR 7.9 billion generated by its three sectors: Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay is listed on the Euronext 100 index of top European companies. Details are available at http://www.solvay.com/.