HiPERTUF Resins Receive U.S. FDA Clearance for Use in Beer, Juice and Hot-Fill Markets.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2000

Shell Chemicals today announced that Shell's HiPERTUF(R) polyester resins and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) resins have received official clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in food packaging.

The FDA clearance paves the way for the use of HiPERTUF resins throughout the United States for a wide range of packaging applications including beer, food, carbonated soft drinks, hot-fill juices, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

All Shell naphthalate-containing resins are covered by the clearance. These include the slightly modified beer resin, CLEARTUF POWER, the low level naphthalate hot fill grade, HiPERTUF 89010, and the blendable high level naphthalate copolymer HiPERTUF 86017. HiPERTUF 92004 and other HiPERTUF PEN homopolymers are also covered. These resins have been cleared for use with all food types and for temperatures above 212 degrees F and may be used in blends with polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The clearance falls under the FDA's new Food Contact Notification (FCN) system for regulating food-packaging materials. This process maintains the safety standards of previous processes while increasing the speed and efficiency with which new polymers can be regulated.

In its review process, the FDA evaluated the environmental impact of the introduction of HiPERTUF resins and concluded that HiPERTUF resins are compatible with the existing PET recycle stream and no significant impact on the stream is expected.

"This announcement marks a major milestone in the commercial globalization of our HiPERTUF range of products and offers new opportunities for companies seeking resins with high-barrier and increased thermal stability," says Fred Fournier, Global Marketing and Sales Director for Shell Chemicals' PET business. "HiPERTUF is already seen by many packaging companies as a natural addition to their packaging portfolio. The FDA clearance enables immediate introduction of our full range of HiPERTUF naphthalate resins to the food-packaging market."

Shell Chemicals is embarking on the commercial globalization of its HiPERTUF range of products as part of the development of new global markets for polyester packaging applications. The resins build on the performance qualities associated with PET - clarity, shatter resistance, light weight and re-sealability - and include significantly improved performance qualities with higher thermal stability and improved gas and UV barriers. HiPERTUF resins are already being used in European juice and pharmaceutical packaging.

For further information on Shell Chemicals' HiPERTUF range of resins, please contact Virginia Davis at: + 1 [phone] or Nils Sahlstrom at [phone].

Note to Editors: The expression `Shell Chemicals' refers to the companies of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group which are engaged in the chemical businesses. Each of the companies which make up the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of companies is an independent entity and has its own separate identity.