DSM's Akulon(R) Partners With Omnexus to Provide Part Designers With Innovative Ideas and Solutions Offered by Polyamide 6

PARIS, April 18 -- DSM Engineering Plastics and Omnexus are pleased to announce that Akulon(R) Polyamide 6 is joining the Omnexus platform to accelerate its business development and offer designers and parts purchasers innovative and cost effective solutions.

How to Respond to the Latest Trends in Automotive Market

The automotive industry is increasingly under cost optimization pressure at each step of the value chain. Akulon Polyamide 6, and especially the brand new Akulon Ultraflow(R) Polyamide 6, offers to molders and Tier 1 suppliers with cost savings opportunities through additional productivity gains, while improving the cycle times and opening new possibilities to skip unnecessary and costly assembly steps.

DSM and Omnexus have created an online PA6 Technical Center focusing on creative solutions, innovative designs and productivity optimization opportunities that Akulon polyamide 6 offers in the industrial and consumer goods sectors, particularly in automotive, E&E, sports and leisure areas.

Part designers and engineers can now benefit from a wide range of easy-to-use tools, ideas and guidance in designing parts that respond better to the industry needs:

- Insight into part design innovation opportunities

- System cost optimization

- Part cost optimization simulator (a unique interactive tool)

- An extensive Application Gallery featuring innovative applications for Akulon technology

- Solution DataSheets focusing on cases where Akulon presents the perfect response to a combination of demanding performances

- Online technical assistance and design assistance

"Omnexus has a very large and global user community of engineers and designers coming from the automotive industry and DSM is one of the most respected material experts in this field. We are very pleased that DSM joins forces with us to serve the automotive world" says Christophe Cabarry, SpecialChem's COO. "We also believe that other industries will benefit from the new services we have created as the automotive market trends are often closely followed by other applications".

"DSM is one of the leading global Polyamide 6 suppliers and Akulon PA6 is the third DSM product line participating on the Omnexus platform, after Stanyl and Arnitel TPE. The Omnexus platform allows us to provide focused information and expertise on a global scale to those designers and engineers that are really interested in specific applications. Furthermore, feed-back from Omnexus participants helps us develop new innovative materials and applications in a targeted way that fulfil the requirements of our customers" says Peter van Paridon DSM's Global Business Manager Akulon, Stamylan UH and Yparex

All above mentioned services are available at:

http://omnexus.com/tc/pa6-injection/index.aspx

About DSM Engineering Plastics:

DSM Engineering Plastics is a business group forming part of Royal DSM N.V.'s Performance Materials cluster. DSM Engineering Plastics is a global supplier of various types of polyamides (PA6, PA66 and PA46), polyesters (PBT, PET and TPE-E), polycarbonate and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (PE), and extrudable adhesive resins. These materials are used in technical components for electrical appliances, electronic equipment and cars, as well as in mechanical and extrusion applications. The business group had annual sales of EUR 705 million in 2005. With Stanyl(R), it is the global market leader in high heat resistant polyamides.

About the NEW Omnexus and SpecialChem:

SpecialChem is an online Innovation & Solutions Accelerator focusing on Specialty Chemicals and Plastics. By a series of on-line services, it helps industrials to develop new and innovative products much faster with innovative chemicals or plastics. Doing so, SpecialChem helps chemical companies to accelerate the marketing of their performance products. It is active in markets like Polymer Additives and Colors, Adhesives and Sealants, and Paints, Coatings and Inks. SpecialChem expanded its coverage to the Plastics and Elastomers industry in December 2003 with the acquisition of OMNEXUS' community and e-marketing activities. It re-launched a completely NEW Omnexus platform in June 2004.

SpecialChem was created in 2000 and is based in Paris, France.

    
    Media Contact:

    SpecialChem / Omnexus
    Christophe Cabarry
    Tel.: +33-1-72-76-39-03
    Fax: +33-1-72-76-39-01
    E-mail: Christophe.cabarry@specialchem.com

    DSM

    Thea Trilsbeek
    DSM Engineering Plastics
    Tel.: +31-46-477-3176
    Fax : +31-46-477-3959
    E-mail: thea.trilsbeek@dsm.com

Media Contact: SpecialChem / Omnexus, Christophe Cabarry, Tel.: +33-1-72-76-39-03, Fax: +33-1-72-76-39-01, E-mail: Christophe.cabarry@specialchem.com; DSM, Thea Trilsbeek, DSM Engineering Plastics, Tel.: +31-46-477-3176, Fax : +31-46-477-3959, E-mail: thea.trilsbeek@dsm.com