JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #37 - December 2007 - 11

COMPANIES in partnership with JEC Composites E-letter IN BRIEF Menzolit entering China Menzolit will install a manufacturing plant for SMC and BMC in China. The facility will be located in Jinshan in the greater Shanghai area. The production start is planned for the third quarter of 2008 to serve Menzolit’s global customers, as well as local tier1 suppliers, moulders and OEM’s. The new company will be managed by Thomas He. www.menzolit.com Owens Corning acquired Saint-Gobain's reinforcements Owens Corning has completed the acquisition of Saint-Gobain's Reinforcements and Composite Fabrics businesses for $640 million following approval by regulatory authorities in Europe and the United States. The acquisition accelerates Owens Corning's global growth strategy and strengthens its position as a market leader in glass reinforcements and composites. The acquired business is comprised of 20 plants and more than 4,500 employees around the world. The acquisition, net of planned divestitures, increases Owens Corning's glass fiber market position. In particular, the company acquires a more substantial footprint in emerging markets like China, Russia, India, Mexico and Brazil. In addition, the acquisition of the Saint-Gobain Fabrics business gives Owens Corning a market-leading position in the high-growth fabrics industry. As previously announced, Owens Corning will divest its composite manufacturing facilities in Battice, Belgium, and Birkeland, Norway, in order to address regulatory concerns related to the transaction. The company also recently sold its CFM (Continuous Filament Mat) business in Huntingdon, Penn. The Wichita Falls, Texas, facility of SaintGobain is not part of the transaction. newly acquired Hangzhou, China, and Gous-Khroustalny, Russia, plants within the next two years. It is the first step in a multiphase plan to increase production of glass reinforcements and composite fabrics in these countries by 2010. The size and cost of the planned capacity additions were not announced. These investments will be subject to all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals. "The market for glass-reinforced composite materials is growing 5 to 7 percent per year globally and even faster in developing countries such as China and Russia, and in Eastern Europe," said Chuck Dana, president of Owens Corning's Composite Solutions business. "Expanding our production platforms in China and Russia will position Owens Corning's Composites organization to serve a growing and diverse customer base in Asia and Eastern Europe with industry-leading products for key markets such as infrastructure, construction, automotive, electronics, and consumer goods," said Mr. Dana. "This is just one example of how this acquisition allows us to enhance our presence in growing markets around the world to create meaningful value for customers." The expansion will incorporate the company's most advanced technologies including its patented Advantex® and advanced glass-melting technology platforms. These technologies bring worldclass energy efficiency and emissions control, while providing customers with unique product benefits including corrosion resistance and high strength. www.owenscorning.com Airtech Asia Airtech Advanced Materials Group announced the formation of Airtech Asia, a wholly-owned subsidiary. Airtech Asia will be located in Tianjin, China, opening December 2007. The 50,000 m2 site will allow for manufacturing, local stocking of products, sales and technical assistance. www.airtechonline.com Simulayt’s sale to Sikorsky Aircraft Simulayt Limited announced that Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, the U.S. helicopter manufacturer, has made a multi-licence purchase of its Advanced Fibre Modeler product for use in the CH-53K and other programmes. This software can be used in conjunction with CATIA V5 Composites Design. www.simulayt.com Owens Corning Composites Expansion in China and Russia Owens Corning also announced that it intends to expand its glass reinforcements and composite fabrics production capabilities beginning in 2008 to support market growth in Asia and Eastern Europe, and specifically in the developing and emerging countries of China and Russia. The proposed expansion is designed to increase the company's capabilities at its Eastman announces $700 million share repurchase Eastman Chemical Company announced that the board of directors has approved the repurchase of up to $700 million of Eastman common stock. This brings the total of share repurchases authorized in 2007 to $1 billion. In addition, the company said that the $300 million in share repurchases authorized by the Board in February 2007 were completed during the third quarter. www.eastman.com No37 December 2007 / JEC Composites Magazine 11

http://www.menzolit.com http://www.airtechonline.com http://www.simulayt.com http://www.owenscorning.com http://www.eastman.com http://www.jeccomposites.com/magazine-subscription/

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #37 - December 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #37 - December 2007