Financial Statements - Solvay

(26) Other investments
EUR million 2007 2008
Fair value at 1 January 133 148
Disposed of during the year -2 -4
Acquired during the year 35 49
Increase (decrease) in fair value 0 0
Other -19 -5
Fair value at 31 December 148 187
Other investments include companies of non-signifi cant size which are neither consolidated nor accounted for
by the equity method. The main acquisitions in 2008 are related to new subsidiaries with capital expenditures in progress:
• Rusvinyl in Russia (EUR 14 million),
• Solalban Energia in Argentina (EUR 11 million),
• Solvay Biochemicals Thailand (EUR 8 million),
• The joint venture for H 2 O 2 in Thailand (EUR 8 million).
(27) Inventories
EUR million at December 31 2007 2008
Finished goods 689 699
Raw materials and supplies 532 577
Work in progress 61 67
Transfer to assets held for sale 0 -13
Other inventories 4 5
Total brut 1 286 1 335
Write-downs -31 -81
Net total 1 255 1 255
(28) Trade receivables, other receivables, loans, and other non-current assets
In 2008, trade receivables represented 70 days’ sales. The carrying value of the trade receivables is a good approximation
of the fair value at balance sheet closing date.
There is no signifi cant concentration of credit risk at Group level to the extent that the receivables risk is spread over
a large number of customers and markets.
Financial
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Solvay Global Annual Report 2008
Financial