Amsterdam, 10 July 2008 — AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (“AMG”, EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: “AMG”) announced that its 50.5% subsidiary Timminco Limited’s (“Timminco”; TSX: TIM) wholly-owned subsidiary, Bécancour Silicon Inc. (“BSI”) has signed an agreement to supply solar grade silicon to a leading global manufacturer of wafers for the solar photovoltaic energy industry. The agreement provides for shipments of approximately 1,150 metric tons of solar grade silicon through December 2009 (approximately 150 metric tons in 2008 and approximately 1,000 metric tons in 2009). Shipments under the agreement are expected to commence in July 2008. BSI has been shipping solar grade silicon to this customer since the beginning of 2008 on a purchase order basis.
“We are very pleased to formalize our relationship with this customer through the signing of this agreement,” said Mr. René Boisvert, President and CEO of BSI. “They have been using our solar grade silicon to manufacture solar wafers since January of this year and, based on its success with our material, have chosen to secure supply for at least the next 18 months. Importantly, the agreement continues to demonstrate the utility and value of our material as a lower-cost alternative to polysilicon for the solar photovoltaic energy industry.”
About AMG
AMG, incorporated in the Netherlands, is a global leader in the production of highly engineered specialty metal products and advanced vacuum furnace systems. AMG serves growing industries worldwide with its unique combination of metallurgical engineering expertise and production know-how. AMG is a market leader in many of its products and systems, which are critical to the production of key components for the aerospace, energy (including solar and nuclear), electronics, optics, chemicals, construction and transportation industries. AMG has two operating divisions of businesses, Advanced Materials and Engineering Systems, and owns majority interests in publicly-listed companies Timminco Limited (TSX: “TIM”) and Graphit Kropfmühl AG (Deutsche Börse: GKR.DE).
The Advanced Materials Division develops and produces niche specialty metals and complex metals products, many of which are used in demanding, safety-critical, high-stress environments. AMG is one of a limited number of significant producers globally of niche specialty metals, such as ferrovanadium, ferronickel-molybdenum, aluminum master alloys and additives, chromium metal and ferrotitanium, used by steel, aluminum, chemical and superalloy producers for aerospace, automotive, energy, electronics, optics, chemicals, construction and other applications. Other key products produced by AMG include specialty alloys for titanium and superalloys, coating materials, tantalum and niobium oxides, vanadium chemicals and antimony trioxide.
The Engineering Systems Division designs, engineers and produces advanced vacuum furnace systems and operates vacuum heat treatment facilities. AMG is a global leader in supplying technologically-advanced vacuum furnace systems to customers in the aerospace, energy (including solar and nuclear), transportation, electronics, superalloys and specialty steel industries. Examples of furnace systems produced by AMG include vacuum remelting, solar silicon melting and crystallization, vacuum induction melting, vacuum heat treatment and high pressure gas quenching, vacuum precision casting, turbine blade coating and sintering. AMG also provides vacuum case-hardening heat treatment services on a tolling basis to customers through facilities equipped with vacuum heat treatment furnaces.
Timminco Limited is a majority controlled, publicly listed subsidiary of AMG. Timminco is a leader in the production of upgraded metallurgical silicon for the rapidly growing solar photovoltaic energy industry. Timminco also produces silicon metal and magnesium products for use in a broad range of industrial applications.
Graphit Kropfmühl AG is a majority controlled, publicly listed subsidiary of AMG. Based on its secured and controlled raw material sources in Africa, China and Europe, Graphit Kropfmühl is a specialist in the production of silicon metal and the extraction, processing and refining of natural crystalline graphite for a wide range of energy saving industrial applications.
AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Sri Lanka and Australia and also has sales and customer service offices in Belgium, Russia, China and Japan (website: www.amg-nv.com).
For further information, please contact:
AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 975 4901
Jonathan Costello
Director of Corporate Communications