Infineum Investing in Strategic Products and Projects

Infineum International Ltd. recently announced aspects of its investment plan, which is based on a continuing commitment to develop new and differentiated technologies and projects aimed at reducing overall cost to serve its customers.

According to Tony Gaskell, Infineum's CEO, "We are currently investing in facilities in Berre, France, to produce new, proprietary complex detergents that are field proven in marine applications. We believe these products will bring significant performance benefits to our customers in the marine lubricants marketplace."

Gaskell added, "An additional highlight of our substantial investment strategy is enhanced customer interface through our new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and eBusiness initiatives. The ERP system supports operating processes by integrating globally all departments and functions through introduction of the industry-standard SAP R/3 business application software. Customers will benefit from faster order confirmation and tracking, and more consistent and better quality global data as a result of the ERP integration now being rolled out worldwide. ERP also serves as a platform for enhanced eBusiness capability, which will enrich customer relationships and provide opportunities for collaboration to operate more efficiently, especially in supply chains."

Infineum's strategic investment initiatives include expansion of its plant operations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and closure of the Campana, Argentina, plant to position the company for long-term growth and optimum cost structure for Latin America. These efficiency measures are consistent with a move toward fewer but larger and more efficient manufacturing facilities in the region, which Infineum views as an important and growing area of opportunity.

The investment plan further calls for consolidation of polybutene (PIB) production into the Bayway, New Jersey, facility with closure of the PIB unit in Baytown, Texas. Plants in Köln, Germany, and a joint venture in Jinzhou, China, will also continue to produce PIB.

Since formation of Infineum in 1999, the company has invested in other proprietary technologies such as the unique molybdenum trimer and in facility rationalization in Europe. It will continue to explore opportunities to effectively manage its asset utilization and cost structure in this mature industry while continuing to invest in proprietary and differentiated technologies.

Now three years into its joint venture, Infineum can point to significant accomplishments as it continues to build on it strengths and distinctiveness in the rapidly changing lubricants and fuels marketplace.

The Infineum Group of Companies is a world-class petroleum additives enterprise. With headquarters in Milton Hill, UK, Infineum is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of lubricant additives used primarily in automotive, heavy-duty diesel and marine engines, and additives for gasoline and diesel fuels. Its customers are oil companies and other lubricant and fuel marketers. The Infineum product line also includes specialty additives for automotive transmission fluids, and gear and industrial oils. For more information visit the Infineum web site at http://www.infineum.com.

Contacts:

The Americas
Judy Donovan
908-474-6705

Europe/Middle East/Africa
Malcolm Rose
+44 (0) 123554 9509

Asia Pacific
Karen Woon
65 6899 8887