Bluestar Silicones Announces Major Investment in North America

LYON, France and EAST BRUNSWICK, New Jersey, March 3, 2011
(ots/PRNewswire) -- Bluestar Silicones, a global integrated silicones
supplier, has announced investment plans to expand its manufacturing
footprint and R&D operations in North America.

These investment plans include Bluestar Silicones acquiring a
147,000-sq-ft former textile chemicals factory in Charlotte, N.C.,
which will become home to the company's two manufacturing sites
currently located in Ventura, Calif., and Rock Hill, S.C.

The new site, which sits on 19.4 acres, offers Bluestar Silicones
significant room for growth to support its global five-year strategic
plan to become a leader in the silicones industry.

"The sizable footprint in Charlotte will enable us to expand our
manufacturing workshops, increase our laboratory space and give us
significant room to grow in existing specialty markets and enter new
markets," said J. Christopher York, president of Bluestar Silicones
North America. "In addition, this investment will greatly improve our
day-to-day operational efficiencies to become even more responsive to
market needs."

The company also intends to increase staffing in sales, marketing,
and technical service. Employment is projected to increase 25% in the
next two years at the new Charlotte facility.

As part of the plan, existing manufacturing workshops will begin
to be transitioned into the Charlotte site towards the end of this
year. The company will take this opportunity to add a range of
operational improvements to its processes, including statistical
control and automation machinery wherever possible.

According to York, new process equipment will be purchased and
installed at the new site for more localized manufacturing to support
growth in key markets. In addition, bulk storage capability will be
available at the new site to improve efficiency and assure raw
material feedstock supply.

This investment also includes expanding Bluestar Silicones R&D
capabilities in North America at the new site. Bringing R&D personnel
together from Ventura and Rock Hill to Charlotte, combined with
larger R&D laboratory facilities, new pilot equipment and increased
staffing will offer customers improved technical responsiveness and
faster product development.

Bluestar Silicones expects the transition for customers will be
seamless in terms of supply with noticeable improvements in its
manufacturing environment and operational efficiencies.

The company intends to produce its extensive range of silicone
technologies at the Charlotte facility, including liquid silicone
rubbers (LSRs), high consistency rubbers (HCRs), room-temperature
vulcanized silicones (RTVs), fluids, dispersions, release coatings,
specialty fluids, resins and antifoam, marketed under its
Silbione(R), Silcolease(R), Silcolapse(R), Lyndcoat(R) and Bluesil(R)
trade names.

Bluestar Silicones is already a strong player in paper release
coatings and textile coatings for automotive air bags. The company
seeks to accelerate its penetration of high-growth markets such as
healthcare, personal care, and solar.

The new site is expected to be fully transitioned by mid-2013.

About Bluestar Silicones

Bluestar Silicones is a EUR600 million worldwide silicones raw
material manufacturer established in 2007 through China National
Bluestar Group.'s acquisition of Rhodia Silicones. The company is one
of the world's leading fully integrated global silicones
manufacturers with more than 50 years of silicone expertise. Bluestar
has manufacturing operations throughout the world and combines
upstream silicon metal operations and capacity with downstream
silicone market and application development expertise. The company
offers a comprehensive range of silicone products including release
coatings, engineering elastomers, healthcare products, specialty
fluids, emulsions, and resins. For more information, visit
http://www.bluestarsilicones.com.

Rückfragehinweis:
Press contact: North America: Karen O'Keefe,
+1-732-227-2089,[email protected]; Corporate :
Pascal-Louis Caillaut,+33(0)4-72-13-19-09,
[email protected]

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