New 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate production unit at Carling industrial site

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1 print_dcr Page 1 of 1 09/06/2009 Close New 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate production unit at Carling industrial site To keep up with the strong growth of the acrylic esters market, Arkema announces a new 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate production unit at its Carling site (France). " This new 50,000 metric tonnes unit will use a new innovative process developed by Arkema s R&D and Process Department. Due to come on stream in the fall of 2009, it will help match the strong growth in the 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate world market, one of the main applications being the manufacture of pressure sensitive adhesives ", Marie-Pierre Chevallier, Managing Director of Arkema s Acrylics Business Unit, is pleased to announce. The commissioning of this new production unit will help strengthen the position of the Carling site, a world leading facility in terms of acrylic acid production capacity. Acrylic esters are produced by reacting acrylic acid with an alcohol. Arkema manufactures and markets a wide range of these products, in particular methyl, ethyl, butyl and 2-ethyl hexyl acrylates. With two world-scale production sites, in Carling (Moselle), France, and in Bayport (Texas), United States, Arkema is a leading player in the acrylics sector for which the main markets are paints and coatings, superabsorbents, water treatment, paper and textile. A global chemical company and France s leading chemicals producer, Arkema consists of three strategically related businesses: Vinyl Products, Industrial Chemicals, and Performance Products. Arkema reported sales of 5.7 billion euros in Arkema has 15,200 employees in over 40 countries and six research centers located in France, the United States and Japan. With internationally recognized brands, Arkema holds leadership positions in its principal markets.

2 Press Release and Fuji Electric Holding enter in a new strategic partnership in Electrical Distribution and Industrial Control Rueil Malmaison, March 27, 2008 and Fuji Electric Holding announced that they have reached an agreement in principle to extend their cooperation in the field of Electrical Distribution and Industrial Control (ED&C) products. and Fuji Electric have been operating since 2004 a successful joint venture in China manufacturing circuit breakers. Both Groups have decided to make a step forward in their cooperation and to launch a new and broader joint venture. Fuji Electric will contribute its ED&C operations in Japan as well as in other Asian countries including China while plans to contribute most of the Japan Ltd operation and a circuit-breaker production line in Thailand, together with a cash amount of approximately 60 million that will give it a shareholding in the range of 40%, the majority of approximately 60% being held by Fuji Electric Holdings. The new Joint Venture (the JV ) will cover product development, manufacturing, marketing and sales with a workforce worldwide of around 3,000 people and revenues of more than 70 billion (approximately 450 million). The aim of the JV is to combine s and Fuji Electric s strengths and offers to increase their penetration in the Japanese market and to become the preferred supplier of Japanese customers worldwide. The combination will particularly benefit from s global leadership in Electrical Distribution products and solutions and from Fuji Electric s strong brand awareness, recognized know how and distribution network in Japan. The parties intend to finalize the negotiation of their different agreements and to obtain the related regulatory approvals towards mid-year. Along the years, has demonstrated its commitment to provide the Japanese market with products of highest quality. The other operations of in Japan, such as Digital Corp, APC Japan or its joint venture in Variable Speed Drive with Toshiba, will pursue their activities independently. Investor Relations: Alexandre Brunet Phone: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0) ISIN: FR Véronique Moine Phone: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0) DGM Michel Calzaroni Olivier Labesse Phone: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0)

3 Press Release (p. 2) About Fuji Electric Holding The Fuji Electric Group s ultimate mission is to contribute to the sustainable growth of its customer s businesses and society as a whole offering among others Electrical Distribution components, Control Systems, products for Factory automation, Semi-conductors devices, Storage media and images systems or vending machines. Every of our Group company aims to become an organic business group comprising foremost specialists in the respective industries they operate delivering maximum value and satisfaction to customer. Fuji Electric, with 25,351 employees in 46 locations in Japan and 21 operations worldwide, generated in 2006 revenues of 908 billion. About, who helps people and organisations make the most of their energy, anticipates and satisfies its customers' requirements in the residential, building, data centers and networks, industry, and energy and infrastructure markets. With 120,000 employees, generated revenue of 17.3 billion in 2007 through 15,000 distributor outlets in 190 countries. Investor Relations: Alexandre Brunet Phone: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0) ISIN: FR Véronique Moine Phone: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0) DGM Michel Calzaroni Olivier Labesse Phone: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0)

4 V A L L O U R E C New pipe mill in Brazil: Sumitomo Metals and Vallourec sign the joint-venture agreement Boulogne-Billancourt, 19 July 2007 Vallourec and Sumitomo Metals today signed the jointventure agreement defining the ownership structure of the joint venture company ( the Company ) that will build and operate the premium seamless pipe plant in Brazil as previously announced on 28 March Main terms of the agreement: - Vallourec has a 56% majority interest in the Company and Sumitomo Metals has a 44% interest. The interest reflects the respective steel and pipe output allocation of the new plant. - The Company will be named Vallourec & Sumitomo Tubos do Brasil Ltda. - The Management Committee will be chaired by Otavio Sanabio, with equal representation of Vallourec and Sumitomo - The total investment is estimated at approximately US$ 1.6 billion As is customary in joint venture agreements, each party to the joint venture will have the option to acquire the other party s interest in the event of a change of control of the latter. This new state-of-the art integrated steel works and seamless pipe mill to be erected in the State of Minas Gerais will have an annual capacity of 1,000,000 tonnes of steel in the form of round billets, of which approximately 700,000 tonnes will be required to feed the new seamless pipe plant. The balance (i.e. 300,000 tonnes) will be used by Vallourec to reduce its external steel supply. The pipe plant will have an annual seamless pipe production capacity of 600,000 tonnes. The output will be shared equally between Vallourec and Sumitomo, with each company having a capacity of 300,000 tonnes of seamless pipes per year. Production is expected to begin by mid The new tube mill will be primarily dedicated to the production of seamless OCTG (Oil Country Tubular Goods) products. It will produce tubes with diameters ranging from 168.3mm to 406.4mm and will include heat treatment capacity as well as threading lines. When running at full capacity, the joint venture will employ more than 1,000 people. 1/3

5 The new tube mill will increase Vallourec s global seamless pipe capacity by approximately 10%. It will also reinforce Vallourec s self-sufficiency in steel supply, enabling it to reduce its external steel purchases. Signing of the joint-venture agreement was made possible after the project received approval from the respective boards of Vallourec and Sumitomo Metals and after it was presented to the relevant employee representative bodies as well as to the competent regulatory authorities. * * * * * Sumitomo Metals and Vallourec, world leaders in the manufacture of high quality seamless pipes, have been collaborating for over 30 years in the field of VAM premium connections for Oil & Gas applications. Whilst Sumitomo Metals has been operating a license to produce VAM connections since 1976, cooperation between the two companies was extended in 1984 to include an R&D agreement. About Sumitomo Metals Industries Ltd * * * * * Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd., one of the major integrated steelmakers in Japan, supplies wide variety of high quality steel products including sheets and plates, pipes and tubes, and components for trains. In pipes and tubes, its technology ranks as the best in the world. About Vallourec Vallourec is a world leader in the production of seamless steel tubes and tubular products for specific industrial applications (oil and gas, power generation, petrochemicals, automotive and mechanical engineering industries). Vallourec is listed on the Euronext Paris Eurolist (ISIN code: FR ), is eligible for the deferred settlement system and is included in the following indices: MSCI World Index, Euronext 100, CAC 40 and SBF 120. FTSE classification: engineering and machinery. Calendar Results for the first half of 2007 will be released on 31 July /3

6 For further information, please contact: Corporate Secretary and External Communications Henri Redig Vallourec Tel: Investor relations Etienne Bertrand Vallourec Tel: Press relations Fabrice Baron Gavin Anderson & Company Tel: /3