-- New grade helps convert reusable instruments into single-use as hospitals seek to lower costs and risk of transfer of infections --

New* Grade of Gamma Radiation Stabilized Ixef® Polyarylamide (PARA)

Alpharetta, Ga. April 2, 2008 – Solvay Advanced Polymers, makers of more plastics with more performance, debuted its new* grade of gamma radiation stabilized Ixef® polyarylamide (PARA) available in eight stock colors – white, grey, blue, green, red, brown, light grey and black. The new grade is aimed at medical device manufacturers serving the needs of hospitals and healthcare networks that are looking to reduce system costs and minimize the transfer of infections.

“Our new grade of gamma-stable Ixef really responds to a need our customers have,” explained Shawn Shorrock, Healthcare Global Market Manager for Solvay Advanced Polymers, “Specifically, the industry’s desire for a polymer with great aesthetics that can be gamma radiation sterilized and still maintain its mechanical and chemical resistance properties. Our new grade not only can deliver a surface finish on par with painted metal, but also maintains the stiffness, strength and chemical resistance necessary for medical instruments and devices.”

Many healthcare networks today are struggling to address the twin challenges of rising central services costs and reducing the transfer of infections. Typical instruments such as hemostats and forceps are becoming increasingly expensive as metal prices continue to soar. In addition, the costs to sterilize instruments for a hospital’s central services department also continue to rise. Add to that the benefits of single-use instruments in helping to minimize the transfer of infections, and many institutions are looking to replace previously reusable devices made of metal with single-use instruments made of highperformance plastics.

Unlike other, lower-performing plastics such as polycarbonate blended with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC ABS), the new Ixef PARA grade can withstand irradiation via gamma rays. This is ideal for single-use devices that can be packaged and sterilized and ready for use in a wide array of procedures. And because gamma radiation stabilized Ixef PARA comes in an assortment of colors, hospitals and medical device OEMs alike have a unique branding option as well as a quick visual reference for differentiating instrument sizes or color coordinating to match wards and wings – e.g., Obstetrics/red, Pediatrics/blue, etc.

* International Patent Application Pending

About Solvay Advanced Polymers
Solvay Advanced Polymers produces more plastics with more 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 is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with headquarters in Brussels. Its companies employ some 28,000 people in 50 countries. In 2007, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 9.6 billion, generated by its three sectors of activity: Plastics, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay (Euronext : SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR) is listed on the Euronext stock exchange in Brussels. Details are available at www.solvay.com.