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NEW DYNEEMA HB26 FOR BEST LIGHT WEIGHT HARD BALLISTIC PROTECTION PERFORMANCE
Urmond, June 12 - For protection of military and civilian vehicles against todays toughest threats including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and assault rifles DSM Dyneema announces the introduction of a new hard ballistic composite. Unsurpassed protection for ships, aircraft and land vehicles, including multi-hit capabilities, flame retardance and heat resistance, can be obtained by using Dyneema HB26. Further, the new material is exceptionally lightweight it cuts handling time in half and speeds up production. Dyneema HB26 will be commercially available in June 2006.

Roshield, a Danish manufacturer of composite protection solutions, has tested Dyneema HB26 in vehicle protection for the Danish armed forces. According to Peter Bertelsen, Managing Director, Dyneema HB26 is used in all solutions Roshield has provided to the Danish Army to be used in Iraq. The solution was tested with other materials and proved to be the best in terms of weight and performance. It was tested with real ammunition at the right protection level (classified) by the Danish Army. We believe the army is satisfied with the solution, which has already proven its capabilities in saving lives in armed conflicts. Dyneema HB26 has been an improvement to work with in production and we have been happy to test it for DSM Dyneema.

Dyneema superstrong polyethylene fiber is the lightest solution on the market and provides formidable protection against ballistic threats including assault rifles such as the AK47 and explosive devices such as IEDs. The HB26 product delivers a spall liner effect against real weapons, not just in testing with smallcalibre fragments as often seen in the market, said Steen Tanderup, Marketing Manager, Vehicle Protection for DSM Dyneema. It also shows very promising results for use in inserts and other personal protective gear. He continued, For manufacturers, the features of this material reduce the time required for cutting and stacking layers, and can speed up production.

Dyneema HB26 is a unidirectional (UD) composite made of several layers of Dyneema fibers, with the direction of fibers in each layer placed perpendicular to those in the adjacent layers. This unidirectional configuration allows the energy transferred from the impact of a bullet or other threat to be distributed along the fibers much faster and more efficiently than in conventional woven fabrics. The composite provides excellent mechanical rigidity and toughness, resistance to temperature extremes and moisture, and positive buoyancy in water for marine protection.

About DSM Dyneema DSM Dyneema is the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema , the worlds strongest fiberTM. Dyneema is a superstrong polyethylene fiber that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibers, both on weight for weight basis. Dyneema floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. The applications are therefore more or less unlimited. Dyneema is an important component in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries. Dyneema is also used in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in sporting goods and the medical sector. In addition, Dyneema is also used in bullet resistant armor and clothing for police and military personnel. Dyneema is produced in Heerlen (The Netherlands) and in Greenville, North Carolina (U.S.A.). DSM Dyneema is also partner in a high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) manufacturing joint venture in Japan. Further information on DSM Dyneema is available at www.dyneema.com.

About DSM DSM is active worldwide in nutritional and pharma ingredients, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The company creates innovative products and services that help improve the quality of life. DSM's products are used in a wide range of end markets and applications such as human and animal nutrition and health, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, automotive and transport, coatings, housing and electrics & electronics (E&E). DSM's strategy, named Vision 2010 - Building on Strengths, focuses on accelerating profitable and innovative growth of the company's specialties portfolio. Market-driven growth, innovation and increased presence in emerging economies are key drivers of this strategy. The group has annual sales of over EUR 8 billion and employs some 22,000 people worldwide. DSM ranks among the global leaders in many of its fields. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Dyneema is a registered trademark of Royal DSM N.V.

If you have any questions or requests, please contact: Anouk Luykx EMG Tel.: +31 164 317 017 Fax: +31 164 317 039 E-mail: aluykx@emg.nl Nathali Donatz DSM Dyneema Tel.: +31 46 476 7931 Fax: +31 46 476 7913 E-mail: nathali.donatz@dsm.com

This press release and relevant photography can be downloaded from www.PressReleaseFinder.com Alternatively for very high resolution pictures please contact Anouk Luykx (aluykx@emg.nl, +31 164 317 017)

(Photo DSM Dyneema, DYNPR039)