---

Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. Announces New Program

4 August 1998

Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. Announces New Program for ChromaFlair(R) Color-Shifting Pigment Produced by its Subsidiary, Flex Products, Inc.

    SANTA ROSA, Calif., Aug. 4 -- Optical Coating Laboratory,
Inc. (OCLI) today announced that its 60% owned subsidiary, Flex
Products, Inc. (Flex), has entered into a new program with PPG Industries
for Flex's ChromaFlair(R) color-shifting pigment. PPG has
introduced a new line of 12 unique, color-shifting finishes for customizing
cars and light trucks. PPG has selected Flex's proprietary ChromaFlair(R)
light interference pigment as the key ingredient in its new family of car
paints called the Harlequin Color Collection.
    These coatings change color as light is refracted from their surface. One
coating, for instance, shifts from blue to red and back again when viewed from
different angles or with changing light sources. The secret to this dynamic
color change is the revolutionary new ChromaFlair(R) light interference
pigment developed by Flex. Utilizing thin film technology, Flex can create
sophisticated optical structures that refract and combine light to generate
intense colors that do not fade or weather. Flex has also recently developed a
methodology for measuring the effects of its pigment using a concept called
Dynamic Color Area(TM) metric. DCA(TM) helps paint technologists to quantify
the intensity and color-shift of these new pigments.
    Two PPG pace cars, a Chrysler Seabreeze and a Mercedes, are already
sporting the new paint and can be seen on the CART racing circuit. PPG was not
only impressed with the dramatic color-shifting properties, but also
appreciated the simplicity of using ChromaFlair(R) pigment, characterizing it
as a "stir in" material that does not require special techniques to apply the
coating. For those customers concerned about touching up nicks and scratches,
Al Ball, color technical manager at PPG also said, "It is no more difficult to
repair than a typical metallic basecoat color".
    Chuck Van Paemel, Director of ChromaFlair(R) pigment business at Flex,
commented, "This new introduction by PPG is the latest in a continuing series
of new specialty automotive coatings that will use ChromaFlair(R). Custom car
painters can now get a wide selection of these revolutionary colors from their
local PPG paint dealers and from paint dealers worldwide in a growing
distribution network."
    Flex Products, Inc. designs and manufactures thin film coatings on
flexible substrates using high vacuum roll-to-roll processes. Flex supplies
ChromaFlair(R) light interference pigments for commercial paints. Flex also
supplies energy conserving window film for residential, commercial, and
automotive applications, photoreceptor components for copiers and optical
devices for anti-counterfeiting applications. Flex Products, Inc. is jointly
owned by OCLI (60%) and SICPA Holding S.A. (40%). OCLI is the world's largest
independent manufacturer of optical thin film coated components used to manage
light. OCLI's products are found in many applications including computer
monitors, flat panel displays, telecommunications systems, photocopiers, fax
machines, medical/analytical equipment and instruments, projection imaging
systems, satellite power systems and aerospace and defense systems. SICPA
Holding S.A. is a Swiss ink manufacturing company and is the largest supplier
of printing inks to central banks, security printers and governments around
the world.