Underwriters Labs helps Elantas set up test lab

Mumbai, January 18, 2008: Underwriters Laboratories, (UL) one of the world's largest certification organizations, today announced that it has qualified and accredited the in-house laboratory of Elantas Beck, the Indian affiliate of the Atlanta Group of Germany. The laboratory has been set up at Pune-Pimpri plant. This is the 1st lab in India to qualify to test Magnet Wires and Insulation Systems.

Both, UL India and Elantas Beck India Limited (EBIL) are pleased to announce Inauguration of UL Accredited In-house Laboratory at EBIL's Pimpri Works in Pune on January 23, 2008. On this occasion, Dr Mathias L Wolfgruber, CEO, ALTANA AG and Dr Wolfgang Schutt, President, Electrical Insulation Division, ALTANA AG will also be present.

Based on this accreditation, Elantas Beck will now be able to test their products for electrical insulation systems to globally accepted UL standards. Elantas Beck develops, produces and sells products such as impregnation resins, sealing compounds and casting resins which are used in electric motors, transformers, generators, capacitors, sensors and electric modules. These electrical and electronic devises can be found in household appliances, automotive applications, television sets, generators and lighting.

Says, Mr. R. A Venkitachalam, Vice President & Managing Director

UL India, "UL is proud to partner with Elantas Beck in qualifying this test facility in India. Not only does this add to our existing test facilities, but it will also decrease the turnaround times that customers expect for testing."

Adds, Mr. M. Tandon, Managing Director, EBIL, "We hope to further develop this lab so we can expand its scope to include testing not only for us, but also for our customers. Till now we had to send samples to other UL offices in Taiwan and the US, but we will now be able to shorten our development cycles by doing testing locally in India."

UL's Client Test Data program (CTDP) gives manufacturers better control of the UL testing process of their products by doing the tests themselves. Under the program, Elantas Beck has set up its own testing facility. To qualify their facility as CTDP lab, Elantas Beck used the expertise of UL's in-house expert's assistance to demonstrate that their physical resources, equipment, environment and qualified people meet UL's safety and quality procedures and standards.

About Underwriters Laboratories

Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a 112-year old company headquartered in the US, has done years of extensive research in its facilities to develop safety standards for everyday equipment used in homes, offices, industries, even hospitals and oil rigs.

UL India Pvt. Ltd. is an affiliate of UL Inc., with its headquarters at Bangalore. It services more than 1200 customers in India and has an employee base of over 150. UL Inc., headquartered in Northbrook, Chicago, has over 6000 employees in over 66 labs and offices across the globe. More than 20 billion products carry the UL mark today.

About Elantas Beck India Limited

EBIL is a Group Company of Altana AG, a Chemical Group with Sales of Euro 1.3 Billion in 2006, and 4400 employees worldwide. Incorporated in 1956, EBIL caters to growing demand of Insulating Materials for the Electrical Industry, conforming to International Standards. EBIL has Manufacturing Works at Pimpri-Pune, and Ankleshwar. The Company has been awarded both, the EN ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System Certification and EN ISO 14001 Environment Management System Certification given by globally respected agencies like TUV and RWTUV of Germany.