JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #41 - June 2008 - 9

in partnership with JEC Composites E-letter compete in a market where energy and precious metals cost sited above are causing others to curtail capacity investment. JCM: What kind of applications will you be promoting in the future? Our main targets are weight-savings in all mass-produced applications, wind energy, and oil/ water pipes. JCM: What activities will you focusing on developing? In terms of the environment, we are investing to save energy and lower our CO2 emissions, meaning that the energy issue will globally guide our choices. Wind energy is currently driving part of our growth. JCM: What will be the main growth areas over the next few years? We are extremely confident about future market growth. Although growth is stable in America and Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia and Asia-Pacific continue to see significant demand growth which is why we announced expanding and allocating assets in those regions as we move forward. Laminate Flooring (DPL), which raises fire resistance and impact performance to levels that meet commercial standards. While DPL has long been popular in the residential market, manufacturers will now be able to broaden their product offerings to architects and specifiers for commercial applications such as hotels, restaurants, shops and stores. This new DPL has been developed in partnership with Hans Schmid KG, Gronau, Germany, Europe’s leading independent impregnation company. It will progressively replace traditional resinated Kraft paper. More information: www.ocvreinforcements.com Owens Corning non-woven glass tissue reinforcement for laminate flooring processing. Twintex® technical fabric comprises commingled E-glass fibres and thermoplastic filaments which, in this particular application, are polypropylene (PP) fibres. This fabric also allows a high glass content up to 80%, thereby providing exceptionally strong, lightweight parts while still retaining an even surface finish. It also can be recycled. Non-woven glass tissue improves laminate flooring Owens Corning has introduced the first non-woven glass tissue reinforcement for Direct Pressure Sale of Owens Corning plants in Belgium and Norway Owens Corning has finalized the sale of two composite manufacturing plants to Platinum Equity. The facilities are located in Battice, Belgium, and Birkeland, Norway. The aggregate gross purchase price was €155 million ($242 million). After costs associated with the transaction and to position the business as an ongoing concern, Owens Corning expects to make net proceeds of approximately $197 million, consisting of cash proceeds of $184 million plus the assumption of certain liabilities by the purchaser. As a result of the sale, the company recorded an additional impairment charge of approximately $10 million in the first quarter of 2008. Owens Corning previously announced that it had reached a definitive agreement to sell the two facilities to address regulatory concerns associated with the acquisition of Saint-Gobain's reinforcements and composite fabrics businesses. In addition to the manufacturing facilities, the transaction includes the transfer of other assets related to the ongoing operation of the facilities, including intellectual property rights and precious metals used in production tooling. Capacity expansion in Texas for Owens Corning Owens Corning has further invested in the composite material industry in the Americas by expanding its glass fibre reinforcement capacity at its Amarillo facility, Texas, in 2008 by about 40%. The expansion will increase the company's ability to meet market demand in North America for Advantex® single-end roving products. ww.ocvreinforcements.com Gurit’s results and future prospects Gurit is well on track according to the financial results for the first two months of the new business year. The trends show that the action plan announced in January is bearing fruit. During the tough fiscal year 2007, the Group achieved a 17.7% sales increase to CHF 448.8 million. A slightly positive operating income of CHF 3.5 million after book gains was reported on the sale of fixed assets. The Group closed the 2007 fiscal year with a CHF 1 million net profit. The Board of Directors and Management are confident about the prospects for the current year. A 7-10% sales increase to CHF 480-490 million and a 4% EBIT margin are expected. With more than 10% growth from 2009 onwards, Gurit should return to EBIT margins between 8 and 10% by 2010. www.gurit.com No41 June 2008 / JEC Composites Magazine

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #41 - June 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #41 - June 2008