INVISTA awards Aker Kvaerner engineering services contract for its Airbag Expansion project in UK

INVISTA (previously DuPont Textiles & Interiors) has awarded Aker Kvaerner the engineering services contract for the expansion of its nylon 66 fiber plant in Gloucester, UK. AK Process, part of the Aker Kvaerner Group, will be undertaking the front end and detail engineering services for the expansion of spinning facilities which produce the high tenacity fibre used in the manufacture of safety airbags for the Automobile industry and other nylon speciality markets. The new expansion is to support the rapid growth in the side airbag market.

The project, worth just over GBP1 million to Aker Kvaerner, starts immediately and is scheduled for completion in November 2004.

"Our experience gained in the successful completion of the previous expansion of the spinning line facilities will be very beneficial in ensuring we deliver cost-effective, reliable and technically integrated engineering services on this further capacity increase. Our long track record of involvement with other spinning line projects also equips us to bring additional value to this project," said Wim van der Zande, President of AK Process.

INVISTA in-house technology is being used on the project.

The original project involved the dismantling and relocation of spinning machines and installation of other associated support services from a factory in Germany to INVISTA's (then DuPont's) Gloucester factory in the UK.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Media:
Vanessa Mourant, Aker Kvaerner, London, UK: Tel : +44 (0)20 7339 1064, mobile: +44 (0)7771 806566.

Tony Luetchford, Aker Kvaerner, Portsmouth, UK: Tel: +44 (0)1489 611111.

Notes to Editors

Aker Kværner ASA
is through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Aker Kvaerner") a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. The business within Aker Kvaerner spans a number of industries, including Oil & Gas production, Refining & Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology, Mining & Metals, Power, Pulping and Shipbuilding. Aker Kvaerner has aggregated annual revenues of approximately USD 6 billion and employs around 29,000 employees in more than 30 countries. The Aker Kvaerner group consists of many legally independent entities, constituting their own separate identities. Aker Kvaerner is used as the common brand or trademark for most of these entities.

www.akerkvaerner.com

AK Process
is a trading name of Aker Kvaerner Projects Ltd, the legal entity responsible for the execution of the work. AK Process is one of the core businesses of the Aker Kvaerner group in Europe. AK Process serves the chemicals and polymers, refining and onshore oil & gas industries. It provides the full life cycle of a project from concept studies, through to design, engineering, project management, delivery of process technologies, procurement, construction and maintenance services. As a pure project execution/EPC specialist, AK Process can provide customers with strategic 'one-off' services or full turnkey solutions under a single project management control.

We work with our customers in the development of major technological innovations, having participated in the conceptualisation and implementation of ideas, which are the foundation for world-class production facilities.

This press release may include forward-looking information or statements and is subject to our disclaimer, see our web-pages www.akerkvaerner.com