ALMELO, THE NETHERLANDS -- (Marketwire) -- 10/24/12 -- TenCate Advanced Composites North America expands the cooperation with 3M, which started in 2010. This cooperation has considerably strengthened the position of the partners, particularly in composite materials for the aerospace market. Addressing such partnerships fits into the strategy of TenCate to speed up the market development and growth of the company by means of cooperation and business to business network structures.

The expansion of the cooperation will allow TenCate Advanced Composites and 3M to speed the development and adoption of new applications for composite materials. TenCate as a supplier of materials will focus on the production of composite materials for tooling applications that are used in various production processes, such as the aerospace and automotive industries.

The cooperation results in the creation of new composite materials with improved performance in the area of durability and material properties.

Joe Morris, President TenCate Advanced Composites USA, states: 'The tooling market offers significant opportunities for TenCate. It is an important market for the composites industry. The increasing use of composites in aircraft, automobiles, and high performance industrial applications will also increase the demand for composite tooling materials. TenCate and 3M are powerful partners, who have already demonstrated to be able to develop and market high quality advanced composites products'.

Royal Ten Cate

Almelo, the Netherlands, Wednesday 24 October 2012

TenCate Advanced Composites is a leading developer and producer of thermoset and thermoplastic prepreg composites for space and aerospace and industrial applications. Prepregs of TenCate Advanced Composites are used in commercial aircraft, satellites, helicopters, general aviation, aircraft interiors, radomes and unmanned vehicles. TenCate Advanced Composites has plants in Europe and North-America.

Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) is a multinational company which combines textile technology with related chemical processes and material technology in the development and production of functional materials with distinctive characteristics. Products of TenCate are sold worldwide. Systems and materials from TenCate come under four areas of application: safety & protection, space & aerospace, infrastructure & the environment, and sport & recreation. TenCate occupies leading positions in protective fabrics, composites for space and aerospace, antiballistics, geosynthetics and synthetic turf. TenCate is listed on the NYSE Euronext (AMX).

3M is a recognized leader in research and development. 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M's core strength is applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms - often in combination - to a wide array of customer needs. With $23 billion in sales, 3M employs 75,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit www.3m.com.

Press release as PDF:

http://hugin.info/130798/R/1651588/532867.pdf

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Source: Koninklijke Ten Cate NV via Thomson Reuters ONE

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