PolyOne Acquires Specialty Assets From Accella Performance Materials

December 1, 2014

• Accelerates Specialty platform growth with expanded portfolio of liquid polymer solutions
• Broadens PolyOne’s existing reach into strategic markets such as consumer packaging and transportation
• Significant opportunity for cross-selling by leveraging PolyOne’s infrastructure

CLEVELAND – PolyOne Corporation (NYSE: POL), a premier global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, today announced the acquisition of specialty assets from Accella Performance Materials, a leading North American manufacturer of liquid polymer formulations. Accella will retain its polyurethanes and rubber products businesses.

The acquired business joins PolyOne’s Global Color, Additives and Inks segment, and provides specialty coatings solutions and value-added services in a wide range of applications, including consumer products, interior and under-the-hood automotive parts, outdoor recreational equipment and food packaging.

“We’re thrilled to have acquired this specialty business and its innovative technologies, and we look forward to serving our newest customers with increased innovation, delivery, quality and services,” said John V. Van Hulle, president, Global Color, Additives and Inks, PolyOne Corporation. “The acquired Accella technology portfolio complements our existing specialty business, and expands our presence in fast-growing end markets that are aligned with key megatrends.”

With a purchase price of $49 million, PolyOne expects the acquisition to add $35 million to revenues and be accretive to earnings in 2015.

“This is a compelling acquisition that highlights our approach to M&A,” said Robert M. Patterson, president and chief executive officer, PolyOne Corporation. “Our invest-to-grow integration playbook is one we have historically executed with great success. We will leverage our best-in-class technical, commercial and operational capabilities to drive growth for this new business, PolyOne, and most importantly our customers.”

About PolyOne

PolyOne Corporation, with 2013 revenues of $3.8 billion, is a premier provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions. The company is dedicated to serving customers in diverse industries around the globe, by creating value through collaboration, innovation and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Guided by its Core Values, Sustainability Promise and No Surprises PledgeSM, PolyOne is committed to its customers, employees, communities and shareholders through ethical, sustainable and fiscally responsible principles. For more information, visit www.polyone.com.

# # #

To access PolyOne’s news library online, please go to www.polyone.com/news.

Investor Relations Contact:
Isaac D. DeLuca
Vice President, Investor Relations
PolyOne Corporation
+1 440-930-1226
isaac.deluca@avient.com

Media Contact:
Kyle G. Rose
Director, Corporate Communications
PolyOne Corporation
+1 440-930-3162
kyle.rose@avient.com

Forward-looking Statements

In this press release, statements that are not reported financial results or other historical information are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. They are based on management’s expectations that involve a number of business risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. They use words such as “will,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial condition, performance and/or sales. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: unexpected costs that may arise from the announced acquisition of the Accella business; any material adverse changes in the acquired Accella business; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the acquired Accella business, including any expected synergies; our ability to successfully integrate the acquired Accella business and achieve the expected results of the acquisition, including, without limitation, the acquisition being accretive; the final amount of charges resulting from the planned North American asset realignment and the Company’s ability to realize anticipated savings and operational benefits from the asset realignment; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the acquisition of Spartech Corporation, including any expected synergies; our ability to successfully integrate Spartech and achieve the expected results of the acquisition, including, without limitation, the acquisition being accretive; disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the financial condition of our customers, including the ability of customers (especially those that may be highly leveraged and those with inadequate liquidity) to maintain their credit availability; the speed and extent of an economic recovery, including the recovery of the housing market; our ability to achieve new business gains; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; changes in polymer consumption growth rates where we conduct business; changes in global industry capacity or in the rate at which anticipated changes in industry capacity come online; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; an inability to achieve or delays in achieving or achievement of less than the anticipated financial benefit from initiatives related to working capital reductions, cost reductions and employee productivity goals; an inability to raise or sustain prices for products or services; an inability to maintain appropriate relations with unions and employees; the inability to achieve expected results from our acquisition activities; our ability to continue to pay cash dividends; the amount and timing of repurchases of our common shares, if any; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including, without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates and changes in the rate of inflation. The above list of factors is not exhaustive.

We undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our reports on Form 10-Q, 8-K and 10-K that we provide to the Securities and Exchange Commission.