Pipelife announces a plan to acquire Alphacan's pipe business in France

Wiener Neudorf (ots) - Alphacan France is a specialist for the
development, production and marketing of PVC profile and pipe systems
for the building and infrastructure market

Takeover makes Pipelife the leader in plastic pipes on the French
market

Alphacan's French building and infrastructure pipe activity
represents annual sales of around 45 mEUR and involves the design,
production and marketing of PVC pipes used for sanitation and
drinking water underground networks as well as for soil and waste
systems in buildings. The pipe business has its manufacturing base in
Gaillon (France - Eure) and employs around 100 persons.

The CEO of the Pipelife Group, Niels Rune Solgaard-Nielsen,
explained: « This step marks an important milestone for the strategic
development of the Group, aiming a number 1 or 2 position in the
markets we are in. The Alphacan acquisition will make Pipelife the
leader for plastic pipe systems in France, one of the largest markets
in Europe, and bring the company an important step closer to reaching
this goal ».

Javier Miranda, COO Pipelife Region West & Nordic, stated: « This
transaction will improve the technical know-how in our Group and
create opportunities to realize synergies in product development and
customer service ».

Christian Gagné, Managing Director of Pipelife France, added: «
Alphacan has a solid customer base, whose products are perfectly
complementing our own product range. By combining the production
know-how and market position the synergies are significant and
Pipelife can further develop its plastic pipe product and system
offerings to the benefit of all customers ».

The operation is subject to the legal information and consultation
process involving personnel representative bodies of Alphacan and
Pipelife.

The Pipelife Group is a 50/50 JV between Wienerberger and Solvay.
It is one of Europe's leading Plastic Pipes and Fittings groups
active in 27 countries and operates 26 factories with 2,350 employees
achieving pro-forma sales of 716 mEUR in 2010.

Alphacan, a subsidiary of the Arkema Group and one of the leaders
in the plastics converting market, employs 950 people at its 8
production sites in a number of European countries, namely France,
Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Croatia. Alphacan's know-how and
industrial expertise may be found in all manufactured products from
its two sectors of activity, i.e. PVC Profiles and Pipes.

For additional information contact:
Christian Gagné, Managing Director, Pipelife France
Tel.: +33 2 3252 57 74

Niels Rune Solgaard-Nielsen, CEO, Pipelife International
Tel.: +43 2236 43939 0
info@pipelife.com