Hexion Opens New Manufacturing Facility in Germany

ESSLINGEN, Germany, Apr. 12, 2010 - At a dedication ceremony attended by Esslingen city officials and customers from around the world, Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc., officially opened its new specialty epoxy resin production facility in Esslingen, Germany.
The plant produces specialty epoxy resins and bonding pastes used in the manufacture of large-dimension composite wind turbine blades for the wind energy market. The facility also produces specialty epoxy resins used in composites for marine, automotive, mass transit and other applications.
"Hexion is committed to the wind energy market and to our customers, and investing in this facility is a very tangible sign of that commitment," Joseph P. Bevilaqua, Hexion's President, Epoxy & Phenolic Resins Division, stated during the dedication ceremony. "This facility will enable us to serve the needs of our customers now and in the years to come."
Also at the ceremony, Esslingen Mayor Dr. Juergen Zieger congratulated Hexion on its new plant, and stated: "We are pleased to have a global company like Hexion locating to this site and to Esslingen. Hexion's commitment is an important signal for the future of Esslingen, and another example of a sustainability-oriented operation locating to our city."
The new, 10,000 square meter facility includes blending operations and associated warehousing, as well as an applications laboratory and offices. The facility replaces a smaller Hexion facility in nearby Stuttgart. The employees from the Stuttgart site have transferred to the Esslingen operation, retaining jobs in the region.
Hexion worked closely with the Esslingen city administration during conception and construction of the plant, located at a former site where production of cathode ray tubes was ceased in 2006. The Hexion facility is immediately adjacent to a new Daimler facility, also part of the site redevelopment in the 'Neckarwiesen' business park.
Hexion is a leading global supplier of specialty epoxy resin systems to the wind energy market. The materials produced at the new plant in Esslingen include bonding pastes and infusion resins used in the fabrication of rotor blades that power wind turbines in modern wind energy farms. Hexion's specialty epoxy resins provide the mechanical strength, durability, stress resistance and proven performance required of modern blades, which can be up to 40-60 meters in length.
"Wind energy is becoming increasingly important as an environmentally suitable alternative for a portion of the world's energy needs," said Johannes Meunier, Hexion's business director, wind energy composites. "Advanced materials such as our specialty epoxy resin systems are a critically important component that enables these wind turbines to operate effectively and safely."
Bevilaqua and Meunier thanked the many customers who came to help dedicate the new facility. "We deeply appreciate the ongoing partnerships we have with our customers," Meunier said. "Your business support over the years has helped to make this new, state-of-the-art facility a reality."