Avantor Performance Materials, Inc. Names Richard White Executive Vice President of Operations

CENTER VALLEY, PA--(Marketwire - September 18, 2012) - Avantor™ Performance Materials, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-performance chemistries, announces the appointment of Richard White as executive vice president of operations.

White will be responsible for Avantor's global manufacturing, enterprise resource planning, quality assurance, supply chain, and environmental health and safety (EHS) operations.

He has more than 25 years of experience in global manufacturing, plant management, quality assurance, supply chain management, EHS, and other aspects of industrial operations -- especially in the chemicals and materials industry.

Most recently, he served as chief operating officer for the Solar division at STR Holdings, Inc., a solar encapsulate manufacturing company based in Connecticut. Prior to joining STR, White was the vice president of manufacturing and supply chain at Vertellus Specialties, Inc., a global specialty chemical company. His career in the chemical industry also includes work at E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Honeywell International and Celanese Corporation. White holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Mississippi State University.

"Richard has a proven track record of leading productivity improvements, as well as quality and safety enhancements in global operations," said John Steitz, president and CEO of Avantor, which is owned by an affiliate of New Mountain Capital. "At Avantor, we view our global manufacturing capability as a key strength, and optimizing our global operations footprint is a critical component of the company's success going forward. We're pleased at the opportunity to have someone with Richard's industry expertise leading those operations as we work toward our objective of becoming a global leader in performance materials," said Steitz.

"Richard brings a wealth of operational experience to Avantor," said Matt Holt, managing director of New Mountain Capital. "As Avantor continues to pursue its goals and growth strategy, his operational and manufacturing background will play a key role in that effort."

"Avantor has a proud history in manufacturing high-quality and high-purity products," White said. "I'm eager to join the company and its team of employees to help continue their initiatives and work toward expanded operations, especially in new markets and regions around the world," he said.

Visit www.avantormaterials.com or www.twitter.com/avantor_news for more information.

About Avantor™ Performance Materials
Based in Center Valley, PA (USA), Avantor Performance Materials manufactures and markets high-performance chemistries and materials around the world under several respected brand names, including the J.T.Baker®, Macron Fine Chemicals™, Rankem™, BeneSphera™, and POCH™ brands.

Avantor products are used in a wide range of industries. Our biomedical and life science solutions are used in academic, industry and quality control laboratories for research, pharmaceutical production and medical lab testing, while our electronics solutions are used in the manufacturing of semiconductors and flat panel displays. For additional information please visit www.avantormaterials.com or follow www.twitter.com/avantor_news.

About New Mountain Capital
New Mountain Capital is a New York-based private equity firm that emphasizes business building and growth, rather than debt, as it pursues long-term capital appreciation. The firm currently manages private and public equity funds with approximately $9 billion in aggregate capital commitments. New Mountain seeks out the highest-quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. For more information on New Mountain Capital, please visit www.newmountaincapital.com.

Trademarks are owned by Avantor Performance Materials, Inc., or its affiliates unless otherwise noted.
© 2012 Avantor Performance Materials, Inc.


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