Prysmian: a new plant for Umbilicals

One of the world's leaders in the sector of energy and telecommunication cables, Prysmian has inaugurated today a new plant for the production of umbilicals - special cables used in offshore oil platforms - in Vila Velha, Brazil.

The new plant stretches over 6,500 sq metres of built area, on a total area of more than 20,000 sq metres, and employs 110 people.

The umbilicals are multi-functional energy and optical fibre cable systems which - combined with a dedicated line of accessories and terminals - allow the "heads" of the wells on the ocean bed to be connected with the platforms or ships on the surface, managing both energy and data transmission and fluid flow.

The expansion of production capacity, the strategic location of the installation (close to Brazil 's major extraction areas and the plants of Petrobas, one of Prysmian's most important customers in Brazil ) together with the nearby ship loading structures will enable Prysmian to reinforce its position in a high added value market such as the Oil&Gas market.

Most of the production will be earmarked for the Brazilian domestic market and our customer Petrobas, with whom the Group will reinforce its partnership and the remaining part will go to other markets with particular reference to North America.

"We have been producing subsea umbilicals for over 20 years. This new high-tech plant will enable us to strengthen our position in the high added value market segment of cables for the Oil&Gas industry. It will also enable us to deliver our capability and experience to a wider costumer base, and supply a full portfolio of technologically advanced solutions to the global market, especially North America," stated Prysmian's CEO Valerio Battista.

In Brazil, Prysmian has four production plants employing a total of 900 people. Among other applications, these plants produce high, medium and low voltage power cables, special cables for the Oil&Gas, maritime and car industries, as well as communications copper and fibre cables.

Prysmian
Prysmian S.p.A. is the parent company of the group that acquired the shareholdings and business of the Cables & Systems Division of the group Pirelli & C. S.p.A., in 2005. The group is one of the world's leaders in the energy and telecommunication cables industry, with a strong market position in higher added value market segments. Organised in two business units, Energy Cables & Systems (submarine and terrestrial cables for electricity transmission and distribution) and Telecom Cables & Systems (optical fibres and cables for video, data and voice transmission, and copper telecom cables), the Prysmian Group has a global presence, with 54 plants and more than 12,000 employees located in 20 countries. Specialising in the development of products and systems designed on the basis of clients' specific requirements, Prysmian's main competitive strengths include its focus on research and development, ability to innovate its products and production processes, and the use of its own advanced proprietary technologies.

This announcement is not an offer for sale of securities in the United States . The securities referred to herein may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Prysmian S.p.A does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States . Any public offering of securities to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from Prysmian S.p.A or the selling shareholder and that will contain detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.