Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C. Announces Distribution Agreement With Modern Plastics

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C. has signed an agreement with Modern Plastics, Inc., a Bridgeport, Conn.-based plastics distribution company, to distribute RADEL(R) R polyphenylsulfone to the medical industry in North America.

"This distribution agreement is a strategic move for both companies," said Bing J. Carbone, president of Modern Plastics. "The addition of RADEL(R) R polyphenylsulfone expands our current offering to include resin as well as plastics stock shapes. It is a natural extension of our product line that should help us strengthen our position in the medical industry," he added.

According to Carbone, the medical plastics segment of the company's business has been growing at an average rate of about 20 percent per year and research suggests continued growth at that level for at least the next 15 years.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Modern Plastics," said Shawn Shorrock, global medical market manager for Solvay Advanced Polymers. "It's a strategic step in our on-going effort to make this highly sought after sterilizeable plastic more readily available."

About RADEL(R) R polyphenylsulfone

RADEL(R) R polyphenylsulfone is a transparent, high-temperature sulfone polymer known for its uncompromising performance in reusable medical applications. For over a decade, RADEL(R) R polymers have proven they can withstand over a thousand cycles of disinfection and steam sterilization without any significant loss of properties.

In its natural unfilled state, the resin is a transparent amber color. Solvay Advanced Polymers recently introduced a line of brightly colored transparent resins based on proprietary technology that significantly lowers the yellowness inherent to the polymer. Custom colors of transparent and opaque products are also available.

RADEL(R) R resins can be processed following standard methods for injection molding, extrusion and blow molding. Shapes can be machined for prototype evaluations as well as finished parts; film and sheet can be thermoformed on conventional equipment.

Plus, most post-fabrication operations such as ultrasonic welding, adhesive bonding and laser marking as well as heat staking, threading and machining can be done with RADEL(R) R plastics. Typical applications include customized sterilization cases and trays, joint replacement trials, surgical and dental instrument handles, endoscopic devices, and anesthesiology equipment.

About Solvay Advanced Polymers

Solvay Advanced Polymers produces more plastics with higher performance than any other company in the world. This gives design engineers worldwide more ways to solve top design challenges in automotive, medical, electronics, aerospace and other demanding industries. Learn more at www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com.

Solvay Advanced Polymers is member of the Solvay Group, an international chemical and pharmaceutical group headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Including the recently acquired company Fournier Pharma, the Solvay Group, whose companies employ about 30,000 people in 50 countries, recorded sales for 2005 of EUR 8.6 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 www.solvay.com.

About Modern Plastics

Modern Plastics, Inc. is a plastics stock shapes distributor of sheet, rod, tube and film materials. During the 61 years the company has been in business, it has gained a global reputation for its outstanding technical customer service, material bar-coding and traceability, and rigid quality control guidelines.

The ISO 9001:2000 certified company is a leading provider of high- performance plastics stock shapes and is an approved supplier to major medical industry customers worldwide. For more information, go to www.modernplastics.com. In addition to plastics stock shapes, Modern Plastics offers RADEL(R) R resins from Solvay Advanced Polymers. For more information, go to www.modernplasticsresins.com.

Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C.

CONTACT: Marla Witbrod of Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C.,+1-770-772-8451, or fax, +1-770-772-8460, or marla.witbrod@solvay.com

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