Solvay Engineered Polymers, Inc., Announces an Increase of Ten Cents Per Pound on Prices of its Thermoplastic Polyolefin Materials

Increase will take effect on October 1, 2005

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 6 -- Solvay Engineered Polymers, Inc., announced that it would raise prices on its thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) and vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer (TPV) products. Prices of these engineered polyolefin materials will be raised by US$ 0.10 per pound. The new prices will take effect on October 1, 2005.

The increase will apply to orders of all sizes, whether truckload purchases or less-than-truckload (LTL) volumes. The new prices will apply to the company's TPO and TPV products, which are marketed under the DEXFLEX(R), SEQUEL(R), DEXPRO(R), INDURE(R), NEXPRENE(R) and RESPOND(R) brand names.

Citing recent trends and levels of petrochemical prices, company president Fred Young indicated how those developments affect every phase of operations at Solvay Engineered Polymers. "We have already absorbed significant raw material cost increases over the last two years. And while we had anticipated some relief in this area, this clearly is not the case. Polypropylene and elastomer suppliers are continuing to raise their prices, and these are the primary building blocks of our engineered products." Young also points to related prices of gasoline and natural gas, "which have driven up both the cost of producing our materials and the cost of distributing them to our customers."

"Polypropylene supply conditions continue to tighten as global demand remains strong," explains Bob Gerlach, the company's vice president for automotive operations, "so any cost increase from our suppliers will quickly affect our economics. We no longer enjoy the lead time afforded by gradual cost increases to plan an orderly advance of product prices. Nor is there a consensus about future price levels in olefin-based petrochemicals. This increase, while abrupt, is nonetheless necessary if we are to remain capable of developing and providing products and services that deliver low total-cost solutions for the automotive industry and the other markets we serve."

About Solvay Engineered Polymers

Solvay Engineered Polymers, Inc., is the leading supplier of thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) materials and technology to the North American automotive industry, with significant sales to European and Asian carmakers. The company is headquartered in Mansfield, Texas, with sales and marketing operations and an Automotive Applications Development Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Its manufacturing, distribution, and research and development facilities are located in Mansfield and Grand Prairie, Texas. In the first quarter of 2004 the company added development and manufacturing resources for vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers (TPVs) in Shirley, Massachusetts.

The production and engineering operations of Solvay Engineered Polymers are certified to the standards of ISO/TS 16949:2002 for quality systems. More information about its products and capabilities can be found at http://www.solvayengineeredpolymers.com/ .

Solvay Engineered Polymers is a member 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/ .