Bekaert announces successful closing of the acquisition of Qingdao Hansun Steel Co. Ltd

Deinze, Belgium and Biddeford, Maine, USA: Element Partners announced on January 27, 2012 that agreements have been signed for the acquisition of the Industrial Coatings Division of Bekaert, including its facilities in Deinze, Belgium, Jiangyin, China and Spring Green, Wisconsin, USA and the acquisition of privately held Soleras Ltd, located in Biddeford, Maine, USA.

Bekaert and Saint-Gobain have today signed an agreement regarding the sale of Bekaert's Specialty Films activities to Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation, an Ohio, US-based corporation of the Saint-Gobain group.

Lowering cost and increasing quality in Large Area Glass Coating (LAGC) and Photovoltaic (PV)Bekaert Advanced Coatings will showcase its latest range of rotatable sputtering solutions at two upcoming international trade events: the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition which runs from 6 to 10 September, 2010, at the Feria Valencia in Spain, and Glasstec 2010 which takes place from 28 September to 1 October, 2010 at the Messe Düsseldorf, Germany.Visitors to these shows will have the opportunity to learn and understand how Bekaert’s advanced coating technologies continue to bring new innovative functionality to large area glass applications to improve overall quality – and how the same proven technology is now reducing the cost of manufacturing photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.Technological innovation from planar to rotatableOver the last 20 years, Bekaert has worked hand-in-hand with the glass industry to develop a range of advanced coating technologies to meet the growing demand for improved aesthetics and functional comfort.

Bekaert confirms commitment to photovoltaic (PV) and renewable energy marketsBekaert, a world leader in advanced metal transformation and coatings, will present its latest range of rotatable sputtering solutions for thin-film and c-Si photovoltaic (PV) cells at Intersolar North America taking place in San Francisco, California, from July 13 - 15, 2010.

Kortrijk, 26 April 2010 - With the help of all Bekaert employees worldwide, the various sympathizing sponsors and the corporate donation, Bekaert gathered € 550 000 for direct relief to its employees with property damage in Chile and Indonesia. 240 Bekaert colleagues suffered property damage as a result of the Chilean earthquake and tsunami (128) or the Karawang floods in Indonesia (112).

The 8-story building is the second R&D Center of Bekaert in the world, next to the Technology Center in Belgium.