ARLANXEO launches Keltan^{® KSA} – EPDM rubbers produced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

• ARLANXEO and Saudi Aramco Products Trading Company signed an agreement
• Worldwide marketing of new EPDM grades produced in Saudi Arabia in H1 2018
• EPDM grades will be introduced as Keltan^{® KSA}
• Strategic extension of existing broad EPDM portfolio

Maastricht / Dhahran – ARLANXEO, a leading synthetic elastomers company has signed an agreement with Saudi Aramco Products Trading company, headquartered in Dhahran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, pertaining to the marketing and sales of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber.

By entering into this agreement, ARLANXEO is strategically expanding its activities in the market for EPDM rubbers. ARLANXEO will start to supply the new EPDM grades within the first half of 2018 under its own Keltan trademark with the extension KSA, that represents the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Extending the Keltan portfolio underscores ARLANXEO’s strong commitment to these products. With Keltan and Keltan^{® KSA}, ARLANXEO will provide a unique and broad EPDM portfolio in order to serve customers in a comprehensive manner. “Keltan^{® KSA} will have its own brand identity and positioning supported by a dedicated organisation.” explains Jasvinder Kaur, Head of Keltan^{® KSA}.

The EPDM Keltan^{® KSA} grades will be produced in Rabigh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The EPDM plant in Rabigh is part of a fully integrated chemical complex which operates under the name Petro Rabigh with Saudi Aramco as a shareholder.

“Saudi Aramco Products Trading Company is pleased to partner with ARLANXEO to introduce Keltan^{® KSA}, a combination of Petro Rabigh manufacturing strength and ARLANXEO’s global market expertise. This partnership between Saudi Aramco Products Trading Company and ARLANXEO will leverage the highest value for all stakeholders.” underlines Muhammad Al-Arfaj, Vice President of Saudi Aramco Products Trading Company. Christian Widdershoven, member of ARLANXEO’s executive board and Head of the High Performance Elastomers division highlights that “through this agreement, we are further strengthening ARLANXEO’s position as the global supplier for synthetic rubbers in the world market.”

EPDM rubbers are used to manufacture seals and hoses in the automotive industry, gaskets and sheeting in the building and construction industry and bulls-eye and seals in the consumer goods industry. EPDM rubbers stand out thanks to their high resistance to water, ozone, UV, heat, and weather. In addition, they offer excellent dynamic properties and a wide temperature range, are extremely flexible, durable, and have outstanding electrical properties.

About ARLANXEO

ARLANXEO is a world-leading synthetic rubber company with sales of around EUR 2.7 billion in 2016, about 3,800 employees and a presence at 20 production sites in nine countries. The company’s core business is the development, manufacturing and marketing of high-performance rubber for use in, for example, the automotive and tire industries, the construction industry, and the oil and gas industries. ARLANXEO was established in April 2016 as a joint venture of LANXESS and Saudi Aramco.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ARLANXEO management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.