Singapore Polymer Corp. Gives Asian Processors Access to More than 14,000 Teknor Apex Compounds

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SHANGHAI, June 25, 2002: The acquisition of Singapore Polymer Corporation (SPC) last Fall by U.S.-based Teknor Apex Company now gives Asian processors of vinyl and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds access to more than 14,000 established Teknor Apex formulations, SPC announced today at Chinaplas 2002 (Stand 2A15, Hall 2). Many of the compounds developed by Teknor Apex already meet standards and specifications required of processors that export to the U.S., Canada, or Europe, according to Cheah Sin Hua, SPC's managing director.

"The wealth of established approvals for Teknor Apex compounds enables customers targeting business in Western countries to minimize their time to market and avoid the expense of obtaining the approvals themselves," Cheah said.

Regional access will further shorten time to market, he added. "We intend to manufacture compounds developed by Teknor Apex at our new production facilities in Singapore, along with SPC's own extensive range of vinyl, TPE, and other products. Our initial emphasis with the Teknor Apex compounds will be on grades tailored to medical and wire and cable applications-sectors where Teknor Apex has long been a major supplier."

SPC itself is a leading compounder, using its 70,000 metric tons of annual production capacity to supply customers across the Asia Pacific region. Prior to the acquisition by Teknor Apex, SPC undertook a relocation project whose first phase, a completely automated PVC compounding facility, is close to startup at a new Singapore site. Completion of new facilities for TPE and other non-vinyl compounds, also in Singapore, is set for next year.

"Drawing on our extensive manufacturing capacity in Singapore and products shipped from the U.S., we now believe SPC to be the most versatile compound supplier in Asia," said Robert Goh, General Manager (Marketing). "If a customer cannot find a standard Teknor Apex or SPC compound that meets its needs, we can readily develop a custom formulation that does the job."

Wire and Cable Compounds Are Now Available for All Applications

A supplier to the wire and cable industry since 1946, Teknor Apex operates analytical and physical testing laboratories focusing on cable compounds and capable of running all tests required by standards bodies such as ASTM, UL, NEMA, CSA, ISO, ICEA, and SAE, as well as government agencies and military specifiers.

Extruded and injection molded applications for vinyl and TPE wire and cable compounds from SPC/Teknor Apex include:

· Appliances ·Audio/video cable · Automotive · Building wire · Connectors · Control/alarm cable · Data transmission · Fiber optic
· Flexible cord · Grommets · Marine cable · Plugs · Power transmission · Strain relief · Submersible pump · Telecom

Teknor Apex product lines for wire and cable include Apex (R) PVC, FireGuard (R) low-flame/low-smoke plenum cable compounds; Elexar (R) styrenic TPEs; Telcar (R) thermoplastic olefin TPEs; Flexalloy (R) vinyl TPEs based on ultra high molecular weight PVC; Vidux (R) and Polydux (R) conductive compounds; and wide range of specialty alloys.

SPC's Sinvicomp (R) vinyl compounds include wire and cable formulations for general-purpose and high-temperature sheathing and insulation, injection molding grades for plugs and other components, and a special range of compounds that meet Australian wire and cable standard AS3147-1992. The company's Singaprene (R) line of styrenic TPEs includes grades for applications like wire harness, welding cable, flexible cord, plugs, and grommets.

Both Teknor Apex and SPC Have Established Specializations in Medical Compounds
For more than a quarter of a century, Teknor Apex has been supplying vinyl and TPE compounds to medical device manufacturers around the world. Now SPC will manufacture
these compounds along with its own extensive line of Sinvicomp (R) vinyl medical grades.

"We can provide users of medical compounds developed by Teknor Apex with letters of compliance and certificates of analysis that meet the requirements of the countries where they intend to sell their products," said Robert Goh. "Taking advantage of Teknor Apex's unique position as a producer of both a wide range of plasticizers and medical-grade vinyl compounds, we can also help customers to meet the increasingly exacting specifications of device manufacturers in regard to plasticizer chemistry."

Medical applications served by compounds from SPC/Teknor Apex include:

· Blood transport · Cannulae · Catheters · Conductive tubing · Connectors · Dialysis · Drainage tubing · Drip chambers · Luers · Masks · Mouthpieces · Oxygen delivery
· Peristaltic pumps · Plunger tips · Seals · Syringe tips