Prague, November 2nd, 2009 – Power-producing group ČEZ and ELMARCO have launched a co-operative
project, with the aim to establish economically favourable solar panels, which are the first in the
world using nanofibres to produce energy. The first stage embodies in testing these panels in
effective conditions and comparison of output by conventional silicon panels and the new
“nanofibrous” ones based on the technology developed by ELMARCO. Concurrently, both the partners
intend to prove the economic profitability of this new way of “green energy” production.

Owing to co-operation of the ČEZ Group and the ELMARCO company, which is the world-class
supplier of industrial scale nanofibre production equipment and pioneer in nanofibre applications
in all spheres of human life, the new types of solar panels using nanofibres for solar energy
collection and its conversion to electric power were installed in the premises of nuclear power
station Temelín.

“Till now, nowhere in the world were nanofibres used for this particular type of solar
panels. Therefore, in order to test their effective functionality, we choose the combination of
both silicon and nanofibrous solar panels in one place. They were installed facing all four
cardinal points, i.e. not only south, as it is usual by conventional silicon panels. This allows us
to compare the behaviour of both conventional and nanofibrous panels in various light and
temperature conditions,” Ladislav Mareš, ELMARCO Executive director, stated.

For the ČEZ Group, the project forms a part of its research, development and testing of new
power-producing technologies. “We anticipate that, owing to its flexibility, this new type of
panels could be applied as a part of building structures. Due to their physical characteristics,
these panels bid fair to be successfully used even in such light conditions when silicon cells
operate with difficulties. If the nanotechnology based panel production is even cheaper in
comparison with conventional silicon cells, then it should be a break-through,”Aleš Laciok, ČEZ, a.
s Research and Development Coordinator, stated.

Unique technology of the most advanced DSSC panels is based on exploitation of inorganic
nanofibrous materials made with the NanospiderTM technology, a worldwide proprietary of ELMARCO.
The new type of nanofibrous solar panel recently forming a base of mutual project of ČEZ Group and
ELMARCO had its world premiere during this year’s world summit Nanofibers for the 3rd Millennium –
Nano for life in Prague.

About the ČEZ Group

Being the major national electricity producer, the ČEZ Group plans to invest the amount in
full 30 billion CZK to renewable energy sources development within the next 15 years. The
objectives of ČEZ Group concerning the field of production capacities expansion from renewable
sources are directly related to the objective of the Czech Republic, to produce totally 13,5% of
its energy from renewable sources up to the year 2020, according to the Climate and Energy Package
of EU.They are in compliance with the Future motion vision as well, which is to proclaim an
intention of ČEZ Group to invest in new technologies enabling to produce, distribute and use
electric power more effectively and environment-friendly in future.

Martin Schreier

ČEZ, a. s.

martin.schreier@cez.cztel

211 042 612, 725 765 848

About Elmarco s.r.o.

Globally, ELMARCO s.r.o. is the industry’s first supplier of industrial scale nanofibre
production appliances.Partnerships with global industrial leaders and foremost universities form
the foundations of success of the company.The unique NanospiderTM technology developed by ELMARCO
is designed to accomplish all demands in producing the highest quality nanofibres to versatile
applications.The appliance qualities including ease of use, scalability and modularity according to
the customer’s requirements, and flexibility are highly respected; due to them, ELMARCO has
succeeded at the world market. For more information, please visit
www.elmarco.com.

Eva Kijonková

ELMARCO, s. r. o.

eva.kijonkova@ek-media.comtel

596 242 103, 721 857 097

Press Release Courtesy of Elmarco

November 2, 2009

US textile manufacturers, retailers and a host of less developed countries have told Congress they
strongly support trade preference programs that allow underdeveloped countries quota-free,
duty-free access to the US market, and they would like to see them extended and improved. How they
define “improved,” however, is an area of broad division and controversy.

The House Trade Subcommittee has asked for comments on its plans to assess the operation,
impact and future course of US trade preference programs. The United States currently has
preferential programs with developing countries in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia,
plus the General System of Preferences (GSP) that covers products from 131 countries.

Forty-five trade associations representing 29 preference and free trade countries in North
and South America, Africa and the Middle East told Congress they depend on the preferential trade
agreements for some $30 billion in two-way trade. Noting that these trade agreements have helped
lift millions of textile and apparel workers out of poverty, the associations warned that adding
Cambodia and Bangladesh to the list of countries eligible for preferential trade would have
“catastrophic results.”

The associations claim that Cambodia and Bangladesh already have built “large and
competitive” apparel sectors at the expense of trade preference and free trade areas, and more
increases are anticipated even under existing trade rules.

Testifying before Trade Subcommittee, David Hastings, chairman of Mount Vernon Mills Inc. and
vice-chairman of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), urged Congress not to take
any actions that could cause future job losses in the United States, and he believes extending
benefits to Cambodia and Bangladesh would do just that.

He said such a move, in addition to job losses, would deprive the US Treasury of at least $1
billion in duties, and it would erode the ability to maintain a strong domestic production base for
the US military’s needs.

In a letter to the subcommittee, the National Retail Federation (NRF) urged Congress to renew
and expand preference programs that are allowing developing nations to provide US retailers with
billions of dollars worth of duty-free merchandise that helps keep consumer prices down.

Erik Autor, NRF’S vice president and international trade counsel, called for consolidating
six major trade preference programs into one with permanent or long-term authorization that would
make planning and sourcing decisions easier. Among other things, this single, consolidated plan
would extend preferential treatment to all developing countries, including Cambodia and Bangladesh,
and it would have a single rule of origin for all products. That would run counter to the textile
industry’s hard-won yarn-forward rule of origin that has been a key element in the industry’s
support of preferential programs.

NCTO’s Hastings told the subcommittee: “The current rules that govern trade in textiles and
apparel were developed in close consultation with Congress over the course of many decades in many
different types of agreement.” He noted that the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the
Central America-Dominican Republic FTA (CAFTA-DR), which support 75 percent of  US textile
exports, were “hard fought agreements that the US industry supported because they got specific
rules of origin that supported US jobs.” He added that “any trade preference reforms that undercut
those rules would be a mistake.”

Autor said many developing countries have difficulty meeting the current rules of origin for
textiles and apparel, and he opts, instead, for what he called a more flexible GSP standard for
manufacturing or processing that results in “substantial transformation” of inputs into a product
plus 35-percent value added in the beneficiary country.

Following the hearing, Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., introduced a New Partnership for Trade
Development Act of 2009, which, among other things, would grant duty-free, quota-free treatment to
goods from Cambodia and Bangladesh and extend GPS treatment to textiles and apparel for 10
years.  At the present time, only a few specialized hand-made textile products are given GPS
treatment because they do not compete with domestic manufacturers. The McDermott bill would create
a Trade Development Review Panel that would consider adding more textile products to the GPS list.
That provision is strongly opposed by US textile manufacturers, who believe it would open the
floodgates to more imports and wipe out more US jobs, but it won the hardy support of importers who
say it would benefit consumers because duties would not have to be paid on imports and the lower
costs could be passed on.

NCTO President Cass Johnson, like the importers, believes the existing preference programs
should be renewed for longer periods in order to encourage investment and long-term trade
relationships. However, NCTO is opposed to a one-size-fits-all rule of origin, contending that each
preferential agreement has its own specific conditions and requirements.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., expects Congress this year to
enact legislation providing a short-term extension for GPS and the Andean Free Trade Agreement,
both of which expire December 31, and then next year take a more comprehensive look at how to
handle preferential trade agreements. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.,
expects the same thing to happen in the Senate.

November 24, 2009

West Conshohocken, Pa.-based ASTM International has been granted permission by its Board of
Directors to offer a testing program for products — including materials, products, systems and
services — and personnel. The ASTM International Certification Program is voluntary, and a product
certified through the program is tested at the direction of ASTM by a third-party laboratory to
verify its ability to conform to one or more ASTM standards.

ASTM’s Board of Directors granted the approval after receiving inquiries — particularly
related to new standards development activities — as to whether ASTM could provide certification
to entities requiring an independent, third-party demonstration of standards compliance. ASTM also
received requests from entities that were confronting regulatory pressure to prove standards
compliance.  

“The board agreed that the ability for the Society to offer certification program as a part
of ASTM’s portfolio of services — similar to our successful proficiency testing and training
programs — is important in remaining relevant in the changing global marketplace,” said James A.
Thomas, president, ASTM International. “This is the first step toward certification in ASTM’s
111-year history.”

Any domestic or international manufacturer, distributor or private brand marketer of a
product that falls within the range of an ASTM certification program can apply for certification.
Consumers can benefit from increased confidence and a dependable method of comparing products.
Manufacturers can benefit from fair testing and ratings, possible liability reduction and
facilitation of regulatory compliance.

November 24, 2009

Cramerton, N.C.-based textile marketer LookChina Inc. has developed a lightweight, four-way-stretch
3-D spacer fabric for apparel, medical, footwear, sporting goods and general industrial
applications. According to the company, QuikSlim®, a 90/10 polyester/Lycra® fabric weighing 310
grams per square meter, offers breathability, compression and cushioning, stretch and recovery,
durability, and insulating properties; differing from comparable traditional laminated products in
that it requires no adhesives or latex and offers cushioning without the use of foam or similar
materials. It also can be machine-washed and tumble-dried, and does not ravel when cut.

Apparel applications include compression apparel especially for active sports, where the
combination of compression with temperature regulation and moisture management can enhance the
wearer’s comfort as well as performance in terms of aerodynamics and freedom of movement.

LookChina points out that traditional two-way-stretch compression articles for medical
applications do not distribute the compression evenly and also do not have good elastic memory,
whereas QuikSlim’s four-way stretch provides more even compression distribution and – along with
its breathability, thermal insulation and cushioning function – better encourages recovery and
healing after reconstructive surgery or aesthetic enhancement procedures and helps the skin reshape
to new body contours, for example, due to pregnancy or following childbirth, or liposuction or
spinal realignment, among other conditions.

For apparel, the company is offering QuikSlim in 12 colors for the 2010 season. In addition,
Dr. Johnson Wu, a textile engineer with LookChina, said two companies are conducting trials using
the fabric to develop prototype products for medical applications. The patent-pending fabric’s
construction can be modified to meet specific needs by using different yarns and changing the
spacer gauge.



November 24, 2009

Union City, Ga.-based TenCate Protective Fabrics USA Inc. — a manufacturer of protective and
safety fabrics for the military, among other applications — has launched new products in its
Defender™ M collection of Lenzing® FR/para-aramid-blend fabrics. TenCate Defender M fabric, which
offers inherent heat- and flame-resistant characteristics along with moisture management and
breathability, is the standard material used in US armed forces and military combat uniforms.
TenCate now has combined a new blend of fibers with an innovative dyeing method to offer the fabric
in navy blue and black.

TenCate Defender M now is available in two- and three-layer polytetrafluoroethylene laminates
in weights of 220 and 280 grams per square meter (g/m
²). The fabric features Hydro-Control™ and Hydro-Control Triple, offering water-vapor
permeability and waterproofing; and also offers antistatic properties.

TenCate also has added DM 9180, a lightweight fabric with antistatic properties that weighs
180 g/m
² and is suitable for air-force pilots’ protective clothing.

“The products from the TenCate Defender M collection are extremely strong and durable,” said
Robert Brinks, business development manager, TenCate Protective Fabrics. “These inherently
flame-resistant fabrics provide the greatest possible protection against a flashover. The fabric is
cooling, breathable and extremely comfortable, thanks to the high percentage of Lenzing FR fibres
it contains. A number of armies and police forces in Europe are currently showing interest in these
fabrics and various wearer trials have already been started.”

November 24, 2009

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.: Nov. 10, 2009) Crowley was recently recognized by the Jacksonville Urban
League for the company’s significant efforts in the areas of diversity and equal opportunity in the
workplace at the 36th Annual Equal Opportunity Luncheon held at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront Hotel
in Jacksonville.

Urban League President Richard Danford, Ph.D., presented John Douglass, Crowley senior vice
president of Gulf/Atlantic services, the Urban League’s Equal Opportunity Award on behalf of
Crowley.

Crowley was one of only two companies selected for this honor in Jacksonville. BlueCross
BlueShield of Florida was also recognized. As specified in the award, Crowley has demonstrated
support, assistance or made significant inroads in furthering equal opportunity and has an
extensive record of contributing to the improvement of equal opportunity among diverse groups.

“At Crowley, we believe that embracing and understanding the importance of diversity allows
us to remain competitive, respond to globalization and promote innovation and productivity,” said
Bryan Lee, Crowley’s vice president for human resources. “By providing a strong commitment to
diversity, we provide the necessary cultural atmosphere that promotes an inclusive environment.
Diversity breeds creativity and creativity drives the innovative thought we seek from the Crowley
team. As new possibilities and opportunities in the business world arise, diversity will be the key
to successful organizations of the future.”

The Jacksonville Urban league was founded in 1947. The Urban League is the nation’s oldest
and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African-Americans and others to enter
the economic and social mainstream. For more information, visit
www.jaxul.org.

Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 117-year-old Crowley
Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides
diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of
six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner
Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered
within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping,
logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and
emergency response through its TITAN Salvage subsidiary; vessel management; vessel construction and
naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and
chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its
subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at
www.crowley.com.

Press Release Courtesy of Crowley Holdings

Switzerland-based global specialty chemicals provider Clariant has announced plans to close plants
and cut jobs in order to address overcapacities and reduce costs. The proposals are the first
arrangments in Clariant’s Global Asset Network Optimization (GANO) project, part of a wider
restructuring program the company has initiated to improve its efficiency and increase
competitiveness.

Clariant sites to be closed include Huningue, France; Pontypridd, Wales; CIVAC, Cuernavaca in
Mexico, and portions of two plants in Frankfurt and Gendorf, Germany. Clariant also is considering
closing its site in Onsan, South Korea. The closings will affect approximately 570 employees
worldwide.

Clariant expects to complete the closures — including transferring production to other parts
of the company’s site network — sometime between 2011 and 2013. The restructuring will cost
approximately 150 million Swiss francs.

November 24, 2009

The new gro-pak™ shopping system from Austin, Texas-based BlueAvocado Co. features five separate
component bags made using recycled Repreve® fiber from Greensboro, N.C.-based Unifi Inc.
BlueAvocado, a woman-owned lifestyle products business, wanted to create a reusable grocery bag
system that was convenient and stylish, as well as environmentally friendly. According to the
company, using the gro-pak system eliminates the need to use 15 plastic bags per grocery store
visit, which can amount to some 1,000 bags per year. The company selected Unifi’s Repreve fiber to
create the bags because the fiber is made from 100-percent waste and post-consumer plastic bottles,
thus impacting the environment by saving both materials and energy resources during production.

“Our goal was to provide eco-conscious, time-starved shoppers with a reusable and recycled
grocery bag system that’s focused on style, convenience and value,” said Melissa Nathan, chief
innovation officer, BlueAvocado. “The gro-pak system can eliminate 1,000 plastic bags per shopper
per year, so the impact of one consumer can affect the lives of many. We believe we’re helping
consumers change the way they shop — for good.”

November 24, 2009

The Germany-based German Engineering Federation’s (VDMA’s) Garment and Leather Technology
Association — an organization that represents the sewing and garment machinery, shoe and leather
production machinery, laundry and textile cleaning equipment, and technical textiles finishing and
processing machinery sectors — recently held its annual member meeting in Baden-Baden. The
association reports small signs of recovery in recent weeks for an industry that realized 1.005
million euros in production volume in 2008. From January to August 2009, the sector experienced a
drop in incoming orders of 26 percent, which was slightly better than the average drop experienced
by most other mechanical engineering sectors, according to Tilo Ullmer, chairman, VDMA’s Garment
and Leather Technology Association.

Ullmer cited problems for global customers as reasons for the decrease in orders for the
sector. “For almost two years, the leading markets for the garment and footwear industry, such as
China and Turkey, have seen their income drop by 30 percent or more,” Ullmer said. “Structural
problems in the key markets of our customers were then compounded by the global financial crisis.”

In 2008, Germany exported garment and leather technology worth 773 million euros. When
compared to an export volume of 891 million euros in 2007, the 2008 value reflects a drop of 13.2
percent, but Germany was able to maintain its position as the fourth-most-important supplier
country globally for garment and leather technologies ranking behind China, Italy and South Korea.

The association also discussed its plans to support the Texprocess exhibition to be held in
Frankfurt in May 2011. “Texprocess gives us the urgently needed new market platform for exhibitors
and customers working in the garment industry and the manufacture of technical textiles,” said
Elgar Straub, managing director, VDMA’s Garment and Leather Technology Association. “Here Europe
plans to, and will, pave the way forward. The [Messe Frankfurt] trade fair offers outstanding
textile expertise and internationality, which makes it just the right partner.”

November 24, 2009