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Brussels, Belgium, January 03rd 2012

The Solvay Group finalizes its acquisition of orbeo

Solvay announced today that it has finalized the acquisition of orbeo following the withdrawal by the French Prudential Supervision Authority (Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel) of its approval of orbeo as an “investment company.” The company is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rhodia Energy, itself a subsidiary of Solvay, and its registered company name becomes Orbeo Climate Care.

Orbeo Climate Care combines industrial, environmental and financial expertise dedicated to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. From initial projects to the final market, Orbeo Climate Care covers the entire carbon value chain. This acquisition illustrates the determination of the Solvay Group to continue Rhodia’s drive to develop its activities in the area of greenhouse gas emission abatement.

This acquisition will allow Rhodia Energy to strengthen its commitment to the fight against climate change by taking full advantage of the industrial expertise developed by Solvay and Rhodia and by expanding its range of solutions in the area of the integrated management of energy and CO2 emissions. This will enable its customers to enjoy access to innovative, efficient and value-creating solutions aimed at improving their environmental footprint and reducing their energy costs.

SOLVAY is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. Its recent acquisition of specialty chemicals company Rhodia created a much larger player, which is realizing over 90% of its sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of products that contribute to improving the quality of life and its customers’ performance in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels, employs about 30,000 people in 55 countries and generated EUR 12 billion in sales (pro forma) in 2010. Solvay SA is listed on NYSE Euronext (SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR).

Rhodia Energy is a Global Business Unit (GBU) of Rhodia, a member of the Solvay Group, specializing in energy optimization and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, in accordance with the group’s commitment to the fight against climate change. Rhodia Energy has developed energy management strategies in addition to major emission abatement projects organized within the framework of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the aegis of the Kyoto Protocol. Since 2009, Rhodia Energy has consolidated its expertise by investing in renewable sources of energy.