ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands, October 30, 2006 -- Univar N.V., 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.

This infrastructure, together with the addition of Achimar’s customer base, further establishes Univar’s position as a leading distributor in Italy.

“This acquisition strengthens our business in the center and south of Italy, and completes Univar’s logistics platform for the country,” stated Silvio Scarpanti, the Managing Director of Univar in Italy, who added, “The Achimar facility is ideal for expanding our market penetration in the center and south of the country.”

John Phillpotts, President of Univar Europe commented, “Following the acquisition of the basic and water treatment divisions of Tazzetti in late 2003, and now Achimar, Univar in Italy can boast a full range of commodity and specialty chemicals to service Italian industry, and with an ideal logistics platform on which to build and enhance further our leadership position.”