3M AND AVERY DENNISON SETTLE PATENT INFRINGEMENT LAWSUITS

3M and Avery Dennison Corp. have reached a settlement of lawsuits brought by 3M in the United States and the Netherlands for infringement of 3M’s patents directed to release liners used in the manufacture and sale of pressure-sensitive adhesives for large format graphics. The lawsuits have been resolved as part of a global settlement between 3M and Avery Dennison of patent disputes involving structured release liners, structured adhesives having air bleed capabilities and structured adhesives having repositionable capabilities.

As part of the settlement, Avery Dennison is now licensed under 3M patents to sell its earlier and existing Easy Apply Technology products in the large format graphics market. The license also includes a cross-license to 3M for related Avery Dennison patents. The financial terms of the litigation settlement and license are confidential.

For more information, visitwww.3M.com.

ASYMTEK/NORDSON OPENS NEW FACILITY IN CHENNAI, INDIA

Asymtek, a leader in dispensing technology and a pioneer in jetting technology, has announced the opening of a new technical support and sales office in Chennai, India. Because India has become a fast-growing region for the electronics assembly industry and is host to many of Asymtek’s existing customers, Asymtek established the new facility to support the area’s expanding markets and offer local support. The new office is co-located with parent company Nordson Corp., and provides on-site equipment service, training and applications assistance.

Newly appointed Regional Sales Manager, N. Shivakumar is responsible for Chennai’s operations, including applications engineering, sales and service for Asymtek’s complete line of dispensing and conformal coating products. He also oversees the region’s distributor network and works closely with Asymtek’s regional sales managers and technical support departments.

Shivakumar has over 13 years of experience in sales and business development in India, including five years in capital equipment sales. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Pune University and an MBA from the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

For more information, visitwww.asymtek.com.

CARGILL EXPANDS POLYOLS BUSINESS TO LATIN AMERICA

Cargill’s BiOHTMpolyols business has added manufacturing capability in Brazil to serve its fast-growing Latin American customer base. The first commercially successful soy-based polyols for use in polyurethane cushioning, BiOH polyols are now being made at one of Cargill’s existing vegetable oil processing sites in Sao Paulo state.

“We are enthusiastic about providing Latin American foam manufacturers the ability to purchase biobased polyols from a Latin American manufacturing facility,” said Etore Silva, manager of the Cargill vegetable-based lubricant plant located in the city of Mairinque. “Our customers will benefit from a local supplier serving their local needs.”

This marks a significant step in Cargill’s vision to expand its BiOH polyol production capabilities globally. Although Cargill currently has capacity to handle large volume needs through toll processing in the Midwestern United States, as volume grows it plans to open a dedicated U.S. manufacturing plant in addition to considering locations in Europe and Asia.

“In February 2006 we promised the industry that we would build a global business,” said Yusuf Wazirzada, business manager for Cargill’s BiOH polyols. “Today we are serving customers on three continents - North America, Europe and now Latin America. One of the reasons we can move with such speed is because our interests align with our customers’. Our success is their success.”

For more information, visitwww.cargill.com.

EVONIK INDUSTRIES BUILDS NEW METHACRYLATE PLANT IN SHANGHAI

Evonik Industries recently broke ground on a new integrated production plant for the manufacture of methyl methacrylates (MMA) and methacrylate specialties in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP). €250 million will be invested in the plant.

The groundbreaking is a milestone for Evonik Industries - whose Chemicals Business Area was formerly known as Degussa - in more than one respect. “For us, this project symbolizes an important element of our global growth strategy,” said Dr. Klaus Engel, member of the Management Board of Evonik Industries with responsibility for the Chemicals Business Area, during a press conference on September 13, 2007 in Shanghai. “With this production plant, we are laying the groundwork for participation in a highly attractive growth market for us. This investment will also consolidate our position as a worldwide leading manufacturer of methacrylates.”

With a volume of €250 million, the integrated production plant is the second largest single investment ever made by the Chemicals Business Area of Evonik. The world-scale facility is scheduled to come on-stream in mid-2009 after completion of the roughly two-year construction phase. The integrated MMA production includes, in addition to an annual capacity of about 100,000 metric tons of MMA, plants for the production of methacrylic acid, butyl methacrylate, and PMMA molding compounds. This provides for an optimized network, unique in the world, for supplying customers in optoelectronics, the paint and adhesives industry, and in automobile manufacture.

The integrated production complex will be built on Evonik´s multi-user site in SCIP, where the Group has operated a polyester plant and a colorants plant since June 2006, and where a polycondensation for special polymers and a compounding plant will go on-stream next year.

For more information, visitwww.evonik.com.

ITW PERFORMANCE POLYMERS ACQUIRES M&C SPECIALTIES

ITW Performance Polymers, an Illinois Tool Works company, has acquired M&C Specialties Co., a Pennsylvania-based contract manufacturer of custom-fabricated die-cut adhesive components, tapes and labels to markets around the world.

M&C Specialties also sells adhesive subassemblies, foils, and double- and single-coated foams. Services include precision rotary and flatbed die cutting, tape slitting, spool and level winding, single- and double-sided laminating, and flexographic and hot-stamp printing. M&C has served as converter and distributor for many prominent adhesive manufacturers, including 3M, Avery Dennison, Tesa Tape, MACtac, Rogers Poron, and Bisco. Markets served include health care (dressings, transdermal patches, etc.); transportation (converted parts for protective films, weather stripping, etc.); and electronics (multi-layer laminations, shock pads, tapes, etc.).

M&C will continue to operate from its plants in Southampton, Pennsylvania; Lancaster, California; Athlone, Ireland; Tianjin and Shenzhen, China; and Mexicali, Mexico. All employees will remain with the business.

“M&C Specialties will operate as a ‘stand-alone’ unit and will continue to provide customers with the high levels of quality and service to which they are accustomed,” said Sevan Demirdogen, head of the ITW Performance Polymers acquisition team.

For more information, visitwww.itwperformers.com.

NORDSON CORP. ACQUIRES TAH INDUSTRIES

Nordson Corp. has announced the acquisition of TAH Industries, a specialty packaging company. Aquetong Capital Advisors acted as seller’s exclusive representative.

TAH Industries is a leading manufacturer of motionless mixer solutions. The company offers a complete system for meter/mix and cartridge applications - including mixers, cartridges, dispensers, and valves - for two-component adhesives. TAH also offers metal and plastic products for in-line chemical or water treatment applications. TAH designs and manufactures all of its products in its own state-of-the-art facility in New Jersey. Most recently, the company entered the lucrative dental market with an innovative two-component dispenser/mixer.

Nordson Corp. produces precision dispensing equipment that applies adhesives, sealants and coatings to various consumer and industrial products during manufacturing operations. It employs over 3,900 individuals in locations around the world. The company is listed on NASDAQ NM and is a component of both the S&P 400 MidCap and the S&P 1500 SuperComp Indexes. Nordson was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Westlake, OH.

SARTOMER NAMES SWEENEY WEST CHESTER PLANT MANAGER

Global specialty chemicals manufacturer Sartomer Co. has named Ken Sweeney as the new plant manager of its West Chester, PA, manufacturing facility. Sweeney is responsible for monomer production operations at the facility. He reports to Larry Athens, vice president, manufacturing.

Sweeney joined Sartomer in 1989. He most recently served as manager of Houston area operations for the company, which included the manufacture of Sartomer's PolyBd®, SMA®and specialty resins product lines. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Penn State University, State College, PA.

For more information, visitwww.sartomer.com.