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Plastic Omnium and Solvay Join Forces in Brazil

17 July 1998

Plastic Omnium and Solvay Join Forces in Brazil

          Creation of 'Plastauto Ltda', an Automotive Joint Venture

    TROY, Mich., July 17 -- Plastic Omnium and the Solvay Group
today announce the creation in Brazil of a 50-50 joint venture for the
production and marketing of fuel storage and delivery systems.  This Joint
Venture centers around the manufacturing of High Density Polyethylene plastic
fuel tanks and fuel fill tubes.
    The new company, to be called Plastauto Ltda, will be jointly managed by
Solvay Automotive (based in Brussels, Belgium) and Plastic Omnium's Fuel
Intake Systems (Paris, France).
    The common goal is to supply the customer in one of the most rapidly
expanding automotive market in the world:  Brazil.  The parent companies have
already received orders from Daimler-Chrysler, General Motors, Isuzu and
Renault.
    Plastauto will service its customers from two sites, one in the Curitiba
area (in the State of Parana), and the other a new operation in the Taubate
region (in Sao Paulo State), beginning in the year 2000.
    By joining their commercial and manufacturing resources, both companies
will have the capability to offer world class products and services to meet
customer needs.  This joint venture will place Plastauto as the leader of
fuel systems in the Brazilian market.
    Plastic Omnium has become a leader in the production of engineered
plastics, with 50 plants worldwide and more than 10,000 employees in 24
countries.  Its 1997 annual sales amounted to FRF 8.2 billion (USD 1.4
billion), generated by its four core businesses: Automotive Equipment,
Municipal Systems, Performance Plastics Products and Medical Applications.
    The Solvay Automotive companies are global market leaders in Fuel Storage
and Delivery Systems.  Additionally, Solvay Group companies are industry
leaders in the development of Integrated Air Fuel Delivery Modules.  The
Solvay Automotive companies are members of the Solvay Group, an international
chemical and pharmaceutical group, based in Brussels (Belgium).  Solvay
Group companies employ 34,000 people in 46 countries.  The Group's 1997 annual
sales amounted to BEF 311 billion (USD 8.4 billion), generated by its market
leading activities in each of its four sectors of activity: Chemicals,
Plastics, Processing and Pharmaceuticals.