27.10.2006

Univar Purchases Italian Chemical Distributor

Rotterdam, The Netherlands – October 27, 2006 - Univar N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: UNIVR), a world leader in chemical distribution, today announced that its Univar subsidiary in Italy has acquired, for cash, 100% of Achimar S.p.A. shares. The acquisition was completed on October 26, 2006. For the calendar year 2005, Achimar S.p.A. recorded net sales of approximately EUR 20 million.

Achimar is a long-established chemical distribution business, based in the central region of Italy, some 30 kilometers south of Rome, and ideally located to serve the center and south of the country. Primarily selling commodities, it has a strong reputation for its excellent service to the pharmaceutical, food, detergency, water treatment, metal-working and electronics industries in Italy, and will be quickly able to benefit from the wider range of products offered by Univar already in Italy. The purpose-built facility, based in the industrial area of Frosinone, is fully equipped to handle the repacking of solvents and inorganics, together with blending facilities and warehousing for food and pharma grade products as well as industrial chemicals.