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SAFC Supply Solutions Launches REACH-Compliant Products and Support

ST. LOUIS, July 17 PRNewswire-FirstCall — SAFC Supply Solutions(R), a focus area within SAFC(R), a member of the Sigma-Aldrich Group (Nasdaq: SIAL), announced today that the Company has launched a new initiative designed specifically to assist its customers with their regulatory requirement under the new European Union (EU) regulation for chemicals — Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of Chemicals (REACH) http://www.safcsupplysolutions.com/reach.

To help customers meet initial-phase requirements and provide an uninterrupted supply of raw materials, several hundred SAFC products are being pre-registered under REACH compliance and are ready for purchase. The Company has plans to extend pre-registration to additional products it now sells and, at customer request, to handle registration for globally-procured raw materials beyond its existing portfolio.

Designed to improve the protection of human health and the environment from potential chemical risk, REACH regulations require the industry to register with the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) by December 1, 2008. Requirements state that all chemicals imported or produced in the EU exceeding one ton per year must be registered to provide authorities and end-users with toxicological data and risk assessment on substance usage. As approximately 30,000 existing substances will need to go through registration, this new requirement is expected to have a major impact in the EU and international industry.

"SAFC's investment in the REACH pre-qualification process ensures our customers remain compliant and will not face interruption in the supply and procurement of their raw materials," said Ed Roullard, Vice President, SAFC Supply Solutions. "Our proactive approach will save customers time and money, eliminating their need to register the raw materials SAFC provides. Our commitment to anticipating customer need in this increasingly regulated, fast-changing international market is exemplary, helping SAFC to maintain its position as the industry's leading supply chain partner."

SAFC's REACH initiative adds strength to its portfolio, providing expertise in compliance, high-quality products and support, including customized sourcing, raw material manufacturing and access to more than 100,000 starting materials - of which 46,000 that are produced in-house. The Company aims to offer a complete customized products and services line to alleviate the issues associated with procurement, compliance, delivery, reliability, packaging and quality for regulated industries.

About SAFC: SAFC(R) is the custom manufacturing and services group within Sigma-Aldrich that focuses on high-purity inorganics for high technology applications, cell culture products and services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, biochemical production and the manufacturing of complex, multi-step organic synthesis of APIs and key intermediates. SAFC has manufacturing facilities around the world dedicated to providing manufacturing services for companies requiring a reliable partner to produce their custom manufactured materials. SAFC has four focus areas — SAFC Pharma(TM), SAFC Supply Solutions(R), SAFC Biosciences(TM), and SAFC Hitech(TM) — and had annual sales of nearly $600 million in 2007. SAFC is one of the world's 10 largest fine chemical businesses. For more information, visit http://www.safcglobal.com.

About Sigma-Aldrich: Sigma-Aldrich: is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Its biochemical and organic chemical products and kits are used in scientific and genomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical and other high technology manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 36 countries and has 7,900 employees providing excellent service worldwide. Sigma-Aldrich is committed to Accelerating Customer Success through Leadership in Life Science, High Technology and Service. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its award-winning Web site at http://www.sigma-aldrich.com.

Cautionary Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements relating to future performance, goals, strategic actions and initiatives and similar intentions and beliefs and other statements regarding the Company's expectations, goals, beliefs, intentions and the like, which involve assumptions regarding the Company's operations and conditions in the markets the Company serves. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

SAFC(R), SAFC Supply Solutions(R) and Sigma-Aldrich(R) are registered trademarks and SAFC Pharma(TM), SAFC Biosciences(TM) and SAFC Hitech(TM) are trademarks of Sigma-Aldrich Biotechnology L.P. and Sigma-Aldrich Co.

SOURCE Sigma-Aldrich

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