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Agfa Specialty Products and DuPont Printed Circuit Materials announce Asian distribution agreement for new Idealine Phototooling Films


WEBWIRE

Mortsel, Belgium, and Research Triangle Park, NC, March 29, 2006, Agfa Specialty Products and DuPont Printed Circuit Materials (PCM), part of DuPont Electronic Technologies, announce that effective immediately, DuPont will distribute the new Agfa Idealine™ brand silver halide phototooling films and chemicals to Printed Wiring Board (PWB) fabricators throughout most of Asia and in the Americas. The new Agfa Idealine™ phototooling films will replace both Agfa Vivaldi® and DuPont™ ImageMaster™ silver halide phototooling film and chemical product brands globally. The arrangement leverages both Agfa’s expertise in phototooling film development and manufacturing, and the extensive market presence of DuPont in the PWB industry.

The new Agfa Idealine™ silver halide phototooling films and chemicals provide improved line edge quality and optimized surface characteristics to improve automated handling and inspection. These new products will replace DuPont™ ImageMaster™ silver halide phototooling products as they are introduced. DuPont will, however, continue to sell DuPont™ ImageMaster™ diazo phototooling films. Agfa plans to completely phase out its Vivaldi® brand. Customer conversions have begun and are expected to continue through the third quarter of 2006, based on successful evaluations of Idealine™ to date. Minimal changes are required to existing process parameters, and there is noticeable improvement in phototool quality with the new films.


“Idealine™ film was developed by Agfa in a collaborative effort with DuPont, based on feedback on customer needs in the global PWB market”, said Bob Seyfert, global marketing and technical manager, Phototools, DuPont PCM. “Agfa has superior capability to develop and manufacture phototools, and we are pleased to work with them in introducing our customers to these quality films and chemicals both in the Americas and in those parts of Asia where our new distributorship agreement is going in to effect.”


The new distribution agreement expands the role of DuPont PCM, currently the exclusive distributor of Agfa films in the Americas, to that of a distributor in the Asia Pacific region outside of Japan and Korea. DuPont, in addition to its broad market presence in the region, will take advantage of existing local warehouses to provide effective and efficient supply to its Asian customers. Agfa will be able to take advantage of larger consolidated shipments, and there will be greater sharing of resources for technical support.


“Agfa is consolidating its operations to improve its routes to market and become a more efficient supplier of its films globally”, said Eric Janssens, business manager, Agfa PCB products. “This arrangement with DuPont is a good fit, and will benefit our customers significantly in terms of product quality, service and supply. DuPont knows the PWB imaging process and can provide excellent support to customers in this industry.”


About Agfa

The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world’s leading imaging and information technology companies. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analogue and digital systems for the graphics industry, the healthcare sector and specific industrial applications. Agfa’s headquarters are in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is active in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries throughout the world.
The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved a turnover of 3,308 million Euro in 2005.
For more information on Agfa, visit www.agfa.com.


About DuPont

DuPont PCM is part of DuPont Electronic Technologies, a leading supplier of electronic materials, including materials for the fabrication and packaging of semiconductors, materials for rigid and flexible circuits, and materials for advanced displays. For more information, please visit www.electronics.dupont.com.

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.


The DuPont Oval, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, and ImageMaster™, are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.
Idealine™ and Vivaldi® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Agfa-Gevaert Group.



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