LNP DRIVES LEAD-FREE SOLDER PROCESSING FORWARD WITH NEW HIGH-HEAT, IR-SOLDERABLE FR CONNECTOR MATERIALS

BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — A range of new grades of high-heat connector materials introduced today by LNP Engineering Plastics have been specially designed to resist the thermal challenges of infrared (IR) reflow soldering, offer the shrinkage characteristics of widely used thermoplastic polyesters for easy drop-in replacement, and are formulated with a halogen-free, flame-retardant package that can be used in eco-label applications. These glass-reinforced grades – called THERMOCOMP® HT Solder composite and STARFLAM® composite – are positioned to replace lower-temperature materials used in lead-free solderable connector applications in the computer peripherals, telecommunications, and datacommunications industries.

GE ADVANCED MATERIALS DELIVERS NEXT STEP IN SOLUTIONS FOR AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING APPLICATIONS

BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — GE Advanced Materials, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), has introduced an array of new resin grades specifically designed to help bring higher performance benefits to automotive lighting applications.

GE ADVANCED MATERIALS TARGETS WORLDWIDE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY WITH FIRST-GENERATION PEI FILMS BASED ON X GEN™ RESIN TECHNOLOGY

GE Advanced Materials’ new ULTEM™ 1000B, ULTEM 5000B, and ULTEM EXSP0023 PEI films are characterized by their excellent temperature and electrical property performance. The new materials are the first in a family of new polyetherimide (PEI) films based on GE’s X GEN™ resin technology and are positioned to offer a cost-performance alternative to competitive polyimide (PI) films. They are excellent candidates for use in a range of consumer electronics applications where high-performance, economical, and durable materials are required. These include mobile phones, lap-top computers, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and similar electronic devices. Other potential application areas include medical and automotive. BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — GE Advanced Materials, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), today introduced ULTEM™ 1000B, ULTEM 5000B, and ULTEM EXSP0023 films. This new family of products is based on the company’s X GEN™ resin technology, a recently launched resin portfolio that pushes high-end polymer performance to even greater levels. The polyetherimide (PEI) films are characterized by their excellent temperature and electrical property performance. The company has stated that the materials are the first in a line of new PEI films based on the X GEN resin technology.

GE ADVANCED MATERIALS BROADENS PORTFOLIO FOR ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY WITH NEW FLEXIBLE NORYL® RESIN FOR WIRE COATING

GE Advanced Materials today introduced a new family of halogen-free, flexible NORYL® modified-polyphenylene ether (MPPE) resin as an alternative to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), flame-retarded polyethylene (FR-PE), and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in wire-coating applications for the direct-current (DC) cord and plug segments of the consumer electronics industry.  BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — Feb. 2, 2004 — GE Advanced Materials today introduced a new family of flexible NORYL® modified-polyphenylene ether (MPPE) resin as an alternative to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), flame-retarded polyethylene (FR-PE), and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in wire-coating applications for the direct-current (DC) cord and plug segments of the consumer electronics industry. The new products –
NORYL WCD910 and NORYL WCP860 resins – have passed bending-strength tests by charger manufacturers, address eco-label flame-retardant application concerns, and, unlike PVC, contain no halogens, such as chlorine, which can break down into dioxins and toxic, highly acidic gasses when burned. The new GE resins also offer a lower specific gravity than FR-PE and TPU – weight reductions of 20 to 30 percent are achievable – as well as faster extrusion rates for potentially higher productivity and lower systems costs.

New Product Introductions GE Advanced Materials

Press Kit VDI Mannheim Germany

BACKGROUNDER GE ADVANCED MATERIALS AUTOMOTIVE

GE turned imagination into reality with LEXAN® resin glazing that can provide panoramic roof systems with integrated features in complex shapes that glass cannot deliver. LEXAN® resin glazing offers weight savings of up to 50 percent versus glass and metal systems, while helping to lower the center of gravity for greater stability. BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — March 23, 2004 — GE Advanced Materials, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), adopted a strategy to intensify the focus of its plastics business on the global needs of the automotive industry.

AZDEL SUPERLITE® COMPOSITE REDUCES WEIGHT AND ENHANCES PERFORMANCE IN AUTOMOTIVE INTERIORS

Lear Coporation has chosen GE Plastics’ Azdel® SuperLite composite for a new automotive interior integration program, which will be featured on the 2004 Ford GT performance vehicle. With high demand for improved weight reduction in the automotive business, Azdel SuperLite composite can provide estimated 30 percent weight saving per vehicle than conventional injection molded substrates. BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — Feb. 2, 2004 — Already achieving successes in automotive interior programs, which include headliner, sunshade, and parcel shelf applications in the U.S., Australia, and China, AZDEL SUPERLITE® composite is now being trialed by automotive OEMs in Europe.

AZDEL SUPERLITE® COMPOSITE GIVES SIGNIFICANT COST AND WEIGHT SAVINGS IN LOW VOLUME AUTOMOTIVE BONNETS/HOODS

As the result of a joint development, GE Advanced Materials’ AZDEL SUPERLITE® composite will be used by BI Composites Plc, a major UK automotive molder, to replace the steel in the bonnet/hood of a high-powered sports vehicle to be launched by a leading international carmaker in early 2004. In high-speed, offset front-impact tests, the bonnets exhibited less damage than that sustained by similar steel panels tested under the same procedure. The bonnets’ adhesive bonding also remained intact throughout impact testing. BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — Feb. 2, 2004 — As the result of a joint development, GE Advanced Materials’ AZDEL SUPERLITE® composite will be used by BI Composites, a major UK automotive molder, to replace the steel in the bonnet/hood of a high-powered sports vehicle to be launched by a leading international carmaker in early 2004.

GE’S ADVANCE INTO ELECTRONICS IS FUELED FURTHER BY LAUNCH OF ILLUMINEX™ DIFFUSER FILMS FOR OPTICAL DISPLAYS

ILLUMINEX™ optical display films, made from GE Advanced Materials’ LEXAN® polycarbonate resin, are now available to meet growing worldwide demand for diffuser films in LCD applications ranging from television screens, personal digital assistants (PDAs), desktop computer monitors, and Note PCs to GPS navigation units, cell phones, and automobile LCDs to cameras, and portable DVDs. These new products feature excellent optical properties that are built into the film formulation and/or molded into the film surface to deliver unprecedented levels of cost-effective quality and performance.  BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — Feb. 2, 2004 — To help meet growing worldwide demand for diffuser films, GE Advanced Materials, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), introduced today a new global line of optical display films made from LEXAN® polycarbonate (PC) resin. Called LEXAN® ILLUMINEX™ diffuser films, the products feature excellent optical properties that are built into the film formulation and/or molded into the film surface to deliver unprecedented levels of cost-effective quality and performance. Potential target applications include television screens, personal digital assistants (PDAs), desktop computer monitors, Note PCs, GPS navigation units, cell phones, automobile LCDs, cameras, and portable DVDs.

GE ADVANCED MATERIALS’ PUSH INTO GLOBAL ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTED BY NEW LEXAN® EXL RESINS FOR PORTABLE DEVICES

LEXAN® EXL 9112 and LEXAN® EXL 1434 resins provide various levels of flame retardancy, high flow, broad chemical resistance, and enhanced weatherability. They are a strong fit for use in portable electronics, converged devices, telecommunications, and handheld computer applications, and join LEXAN EXL 9330 and LEXAN EXL 1414 resins, two previously introduced EXL products. LEXAN EXL 9112 resin was chosen by LG Electronics for use in its new mobile phone battery pack. Motorola, Inc. has selected LEXAN EXL 1414 resin for use on the enclosure on its recently launched V300 cell phone.  BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — Feb. 2, 2004 — In the 51st year since the discovery of LEXAN® polycarbonate (PC) by GE scientist Dr. Daniel W. Fox, GE Advanced Materials is once again expanding its product offerings based on this highly versatile resin technology. Two new grades of the company’s toughened LEXAN EXL polycarbonate/siloxane resin have been added to the growing resin portfolio: LEXAN EXL 9112 resin and LEXAN EXL 1434 resin. These products provide various levels of flame retardancy that help address eco-label needs along with high flow, broad chemical resistance, and enhanced weatherability. They are a potentially strong fit for use in portable electronics, converged devices, telecommunications, and handheld computer applications. The new materials join LEXAN EXL 9330 and LEXAN EXL 1414 resins, two previously introduced LEXAN EXL resin products.

FLEXPLAY INTRODUCES “EZ-D,” THE 48-HOUR DVD

CHICAGO—June 23, 2003—In May 2003, Flexplay Technologies, Inc, a privately held company based in New York, announced that Buena Vista Home Entertainment Division of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) will use its flexible play DVD technology to make movies available to consumers in test markets beginning this August. GE Plastics is featuring this new innovative application, which uses patented LEXAN material technology, in the GE Plastics’ booth at the National Plastics Exposition here (McCormick Place, South Hall, Booth #2215) from June 23-27.

LEXAN® SLX RESIN NOW AVAILABLE FOR INJECTION MOLDING

CHICAGO—June 23, 2003—GE Plastics announced that one of its newest advanced polymers, LEXAN® SLX polycarbonate, is now available in a clear resin grade for injection molding applications. LEXAN SLX 2431 resin offers high light transmission (>83%) and low haze (<1%), enhanced weatherability and five to ten times the gloss retention compared with most standard UV stabilized polycarbonate materials. This new material and applications that use LEXAN® SLX film are on display in the GE Plastics’ booth at the National Plastics Exposition in Chicago (McCormick Place, South Hall, Booth #2215) from June 23-27.