Umicore Acquires U.S. Contact Materials Producer


In the framework of its strategy of growing its worldwide position in the manufacturing of precious-metal based technical materials, Umicore has acquired the business of leading U.S. contact materials producer Ames Electro Materials Corp. (AEMC) - a subsidiary of Ames Goldsmith Corp. of Glens Falls, NY.

Ames Electro Materials Corp. in 2006 generated revenues of some US $ 8.5 million (excluding the value of precious metals). The company has 65 employees.

The acquisition will strengthen Umicore's presence in North America for providing high quality products for the switchgear, relay and metal joining industries. The company will be fully integrated into Umicore's Technical Materials business network and operate under the name Umicore Technical Materials North America.

AEMC operates sites in Glens Falls, New York, and Cranston, Rhode Island. Umicore plans to add further production capacity for brazing alloys in Glens Falls in the course of 2007. This acquisition further complements Umicore's technical materials operations in Hanau (Germany) and Guarulhos (Brazil) and the two Chinese activities acquired in 2006.

Umicore plans to move its existing contact materials operations from South Plainfield, New Jersey, to Glens Falls by the last quarter of 2007. The acquisition is expected to start contributing to earnings as soon as that move is complete.
Ames Goldsmith Corp, intends to concentrate on developing its core products, particularly in the field of electronic materials.

PROFILE
Umicore is a materials technology group. Its activities are centered on four business areas: Advanced Materials, Precious Metals Products and Catalysts, Precious Metals Services and Zinc Specialties. Each business area is divided into market-focused business units.

Umicore focuses on application areas where it knows its expertise in materials science, chemistry and metallurgy can make a real difference, be it in products that are essential to everyday life or those at the cutting edge of new technological developments. Umicore's overriding goal of sustainable value creation is based on this ambition to develop, produce and recycle materials in a way that fulfils its mission: materials for a better life.

The Umicore Group has industrial operations on all continents and serves a global customer base; it generated a turnover of EUR 6.6 billion in 2005 and currently employs some 16,000 people.

For more information:
Investor Relations:
Mr Tim WEEKES - Tel. +32 2 227 73 98 - tim.weekes@umicore.com
Mr Geoffroy RASKIN - Tel. +32 2 227 71 47 - geoffroy.raskin@umicore.com
Media:
Mr Bart CROLS - Tel +32 2 227 71 29 - +32 476 98 01 21 - bart.crols@umicore.com

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