July 11, 2006 – Swiss civil engineering company Gasser Felstechnik AG, Lungern, selected pipe produced using Basell’s Hostalen polyethylene resin to contain explosives for blasting operations to clear Switzerland’s Gotthard Tunnel approaches of loose rock.

The pipe was produced by Swiss-based HakaGerodur using Hostalen polyethylene. The pipe was used to contain measured quantities of explosives which were then lowered into over 80 thirty-metre deep holes bored in the rock.

According to Pascal Reber, project manager of Gasser, “The Gotthard Highway, which is one of the main arteries connecting northern and southern Europe, was closed due to falling rock, threatening holiday season travel. We needed to get it opened as quickly as possible, and we needed reliable pipe to prepare the charges. We turned to HakaGerodur to supply us immediately.”

Erwin Pfiffner, CEO of HakaGerodur, said, ”We were very confident in recommending pipe produced by our company using Basell’s Hostalen resin. Our experience has shown that pipe produced using Hostalen resin has superior toughness, is light-weight and is easy to install.”

“We were extremely pleased that the Gotthard Highway is again operational and that pipes made with our resin effectively assisted in such a critical operation,” said Ulrich Schulte, Basell’s application development and technical service manager for pipe & sheet applications in Europe.

Basell is the world's largest producer of polypropylene and advanced polyolefin products, a leading supplier of polyethylene and catalysts, and a global leader in the development and licensing of polypropylene and polyethylene processes. Basell, together with its joint ventures, has manufacturing facilities around the world and sells products in more than 120 countries. Additional information about Basell is available at www.basell.com.

For more information, contact Michelle Harrell, Basell Corporate Communications, at
+1 410 996 1366, +1 302 438 6574 or michelle.harrell@basell.com