AlliedSignal Forms "Performance Fibers" Unit Focused On Technology Solutions for Customers.

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 12, 1998--AlliedSignal today announced it has combined Industrial Fibers and Spectra(R) Performance Materials to form AlliedSignal Performance Fibers, a new unit of the Polymer business. The result is an organization with the broadest basket of leading edge technologies focused on providing advanced solutions for our customers.

"We want to be the company customers turn to first for manmade fibers," said Mark P. Bulriss, President of AlliedSignal Polymers, "and the most relied upon resource for technology and technical solutions anywhere in the world.

"We've adopted a value-centered, customer-needs philosophy," said Bulriss. "It's a philosophy that our customers tell us is new to the industry. Each end-use segment will be the responsibility of a single marketing manager. Each customer will have a single sales person whom they can rely on for commercial support and as a conduit to a world-wide technical support team."

Bulriss named Vice President/General Manager Fred Festa to lead the half-billion dollar business that manufactures and markets nylon, polyester, high-molecular-weight polyethylene (HMWPE) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) -- four of the high-strength types of performance synthetic fibers used in hundreds of industrial, military and consumer applications.

Performance Products - Performance Service

"We are planning to market vigorously," said Festa. "We're using 'performance' to drive growth in two ways. First, we're moving 'performance' into customer service, and making it an engine for growth. We're inviting customers to call us with their problems. Even if the solution doesn't include a product we currently sell, we're going to help them," he said. This, he said, contrasts with the industry-wide practice of selling fibers to customers who have applications that correspond to the fibers' capabilities.

"Second, we're driving product performance. No other producer can offer the variety of industrial fiber products -- fibers with a performance edge. And none have the same breadth of specialty coatings, engineered yarns and other patented technologies that enhance the products our customers make. The potential impact of combining the products and technologies is enormous."

Product Portfolio

Among the products are:

-- Spectra(R) Fiber, (high molecular weight polyethylene) the

strongest and lightest manmade fiber that's pound-for-pound

10 times stronger than steel, and used in body armor, sail

cloth, high-strength cordage, cut-resistant surgical and

food-processing gloves, and in other applications where

light weight, endurance, strength and resistance to

chemicals, water and ultraviolet light are needed;

-- Pentex(tm) PEN Fiber (polyethylene naphthalate), a

new-generation, high-performance polyester yarn that debuted

as sail cloth with the potential for tire reinforcement,

broad woven and other applications;

-- Leading polyester (PET) fibers such as DSP(tm) Polyester for

dimensionally-stable tire cords and Fiberbrite 2000(R)

Polyester with ultraviolet-light stability whose colors are

embedded in the fiber itself; and

-- Well-recognized (Type 6) nylon fibers such as Anso-tex(R)

textured nylon for high-strength, high-abrasion-resistance

packs, bags and webbing and Tru-Ballistic(R) Nylon for flak

jackets and today's high-end soft-sided luggage.

The Performance Fibers business also has a number of specialty materials, such as the SeaGard(R) finish for enhanced performance in wet environments, and Shield Technology, a proprietary non-woven composite construction that provides strength and other benefits unavailable with woven fabrics.

Creating Value

"With a unified organization, a customer-focused mind set, and such a rich portfolio of technology, we're now able to create unprecedented value," said Festa. "For example, we're now adding SeaGard to nylon, polyester and Spectra fibers used in making ropes and cordage. We've developed Hardline(tm) fabric, using our high-tenacity nylon fibers with Spectra Fiber interwoven at specified intervals as a rip-stop. Today, just two years after its introduction, Hardline fabric has been adopted for high-end technical backpacks, boots, shoes and ski gaiters by leading consumer brands. All this gives our customers a competitive advantage," said Festa.

A New Global Business

Festa said the business unit is the final phase in a series of steps that have been taken to position the company for leadership in the global marketplace. "Over the past three years, we have not only made substantial investments in product improvements and new-product development, we have formed a global manufacturing base; completed a major plant acquisition in the United States; established a manufacturing, commercial and technical-support base in Europe; and started operating a joint-venture polyester-fiber and fabric-manufacturing facility in China with regionally-based sales and technical teams."

Until his appointment to the Performance Fibers business, Festa served as Vice President of AlliedSignal Chemical Intermediates and before that as Vice President of Finance and Business Development for the Polymers business. He came to AlliedSignal in 1993 after 13 years with General Electric.

AlliedSignal is an advanced technology and manufacturing company serving customers worldwide with aerospace and automotive products, chemicals, fibers, plastics and advanced materials.

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