Univar Solutions and Solvay Strengthen Partnership with New, Exclusive Lubricants and Metalworking Fluids Agreement in China

Expanded global relationship brings an array of specialty ingredients with a diverse range of applications to customers seeking more reliable and sustainable metalworking fluid solutions

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., May 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Univar Solutions China Company Limited, a subsidiary of Univar Solutions Inc. (NYSE: UNVR) ("Univar Solutions" or "the Company"), a leading global solutions provider to users of specialty ingredients and chemicals, today announced a new exclusive agreement with Solvay, expanding the partnership between the two companies for a broad range of lubricant and metalworking fluid additives for multiple markets in Eastern China, including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Hunan, and Jiangxi. The agreement includes high performance specialty additives and components for optimized metal surface cleaning, finishing, and treatment, including surfactants, degreasers, emulsifiers, boosters, and other additives increasingly sought by formulators looking for multifunctional ingredients that demonstrate excellent compatibility with a wide array of processes and applications while mitigating friction and wear.

"Leveraging the longtime partnership between our companies, we are excited to strengthen and diversify our presence in the Asia Pacific region, where strategic growth opportunities for customers, suppliers, and specialty chemical and ingredient distributors abound," said Federico Montaner, global vice president of lubricants and metalworking fluids for Univar Solutions. "Univar Solutions has the sales, product, and logistics experience, along with technical expertise and leadership in the lubricants and metalworking fluids industry to truly support Solvay's portfolio of innovative and reliable materials that exceed expectations for performance, safety, and sustainability."

Whether specialty product innovation, sustainability, or formulation testing, manufacturers of all sizes and from all over the globe look to Univar Solutions for support accessing in-demand ingredients and tackling product development challenges. Across Eastern China, customers seeking to optimize the long-term performance of metal surface treatments will have access to a wide array of Solvay's specialty ingredients ranging from industrial metal cleaning additives such as Addikleen™ to friction modifiers like Fentamine® and biodegradable metal treatment emulsifiers such as Alkamuls®. Combining greater local product inventory, a broader range of ingredients, and deep industry and supply chain expertise, manufacturers in the region can count on Univar Solutions for versatile and high-performing solutions.

"At Solvay, our specialty lubricant and metalworking fluid additives contribute to outstanding mechanical performance and efficiency while helping formulators meet today's customers' demands for product sustainability," noted Matthias Braem, vice president, coatings and industrial at Solvay. "With Univar Solutions sharing our commitment to innovation and performance while also advancing more sustainable solutions, we are excited to move forward together and successfully serve our customers in the Asia Pacific region."

Myron Li, general manager of China and Southeast Asia for Univar Solutions, added, "Our outstanding service and experienced technical and sales teams enable us to provide customers with holistic solutions for product innovation, formulation optimization, and logistics support. Solvay has a comprehensive lubricants and metalworking fluids additives product line, with strong chemical production, research and development capabilities, and an extensive product range to meet the needs of customers. We're excited to work in collaboration in Eastern China to establish greater access for customers seeking their metalworking products for industrial surface cleaning, treatment, and optimization. Our teamwork is vital to providing customers with winning solutions and we look forward to growing together in other regions of China and Asia Pacific."

For more information about Univar Solutions' lubricants and metalworking fluids business, visit univarsolutions.com/industries/lubricants-metalworking.

About Univar Solutions
Univar Solutions (NYSE: UNVR) is a leading global specialty chemical and ingredient distributor representing a premier portfolio from the world's leading producers. With the industry's largest private transportation fleet and technical sales force, unparalleled logistics know-how, deep market and regulatory knowledge, formulation and recipe development, and leading digital tools, the Company is well-positioned to offer tailored solutions and value-added services to a wide range of markets, industries, and applications. While fulfilling its purpose to help keep communities healthy, fed, clean and safe, Univar Solutions is committed to helping customers and suppliers innovate and focus on Growing Together. Learn more at univarsolutions.com.

About Solvay
Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 21,000 employees in 63 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet roadmap crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering a better life. The Group's innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world's top three companies for the vast majority of its activities and delivered net sales of €10.1 billion in 2021. Solvay is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (SOLB). Learn more at solvay.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes certain statements relating to future events and our intentions, beliefs, expectations, and outlook for the future, which are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which may be beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations and assumptions. A detailed discussion of these factors and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Potential factors that could affect such forward-looking statements include, among others: general economic conditions, particularly fluctuations in industrial production and consumption and the timing and extent of economic downturns increased competitive pressures, including as a result of competitor consolidation; potential supply chain disruptions; significant changes in the pricing, demand and availability of chemicals; our indebtedness, the restrictions imposed by, and costs associated with, our debt instruments, and our ability to obtain additional financing; the broad spectrum of laws and regulations that we are subject to, including extensive environmental, health and safety laws and regulations and changes in tax laws; potential cybersecurity incidents, including security breaches; an inability to generate sufficient working capital; transportation related challenges, including increases in transportation and fuel costs, changes in our relationship with third party transportation providers, and ability to attract and retain qualified drivers; accidents, safety failures, environmental damage, product quality issues; delivery failures or hazards and risks related to our operations and the hazardous materials we handle, potential inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage; ongoing litigation, potential product liability claims and recalls, and other environmental, legal and regulatory risks; challenges associated with international operations; exposure to interest rate and currency fluctuations;  possible impairment of goodwill and intangible assets; the ongoing and evolving COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts on the global economy, our employees, customers, vendors and suppliers, and our business, results of operation and financial condition; significant changes in the business strategies of producers or in the operations of our customers; an inability to integrate the business and systems of  companies we acquire, including failure to realize the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions; negative developments affecting our pension plans and multi-employer pensions; labor disruptions associated with the unionized portion of our workforce; our ability to attract or retain a qualified and diverse workforce; our ability to execute on our strategies related to environmental, social, and governance matters, and achieve related expectations may be impacted as a result of evolving regulatory and other standards, processes, and assumptions, the pace of scientific and technological developments, increased costs and the availability of requisite financing and changes in carbon markets; and the other factors described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as well as other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution you that the forward-looking information presented in this press release is not a guarantee of future events or results, and that actual events or results may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking information contained in this press release. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "plan," "seek, "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Any forward-looking information presented herein is made only as of the date of this press release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

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SOURCE Univar Solutions Inc.