Rockwood Press Release

Rockwood Pigments NA, Inc. Announces
Price Increases for Color Pigments

Beltsville, MD USA (October 10, 2005) - Rockwood Pigments NA, Inc. has announced plans to raise prices for its iron oxide and other color pigments an average of 10 percent, effective November 1, 2005, and to pass-on freight surcharges imposed by domestic carriers.

“The unprecedented escalations in raw materials, energy and transportation costs have impacted our ability to deliver the quality products and supply assurance that our customers require,” said Carlton Johnson, president of Rockwood Pigments, NA, Inc., the North American business of Rockwood's Color Pigments Division.

Throughout the past year, Rockwood has insulated its customers from price impacts by absorbing substantially higher energy costs and freight fuel surcharges.   Over this same time, costs for iron-based materials, ammonia, caustic soda and other key raw materials, have also risen significantly.   In addition, Rockwood has experienced cost increases on products sourced from China, attributable to the recent devaluation of the Chinese currency and increased investments in environmental controls.

According to Johnson, “External market forces have changed, and pigment producers can no longer manage these dramatic increases through cost cuts and internal efficiencies. We are facing a new economic reality which requires us to raise prices to meet the challenge.”

Rockwood's Color Pigments Division is one of the largest worldwide suppliers of iron oxides and colored inorganic pigments for construction, coatings, plastics and specialty applications. The Division's manufacturing sites are located in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia and China with offices in Singapore and Shanghai, China.   The Color Pigments Division is part of the Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, USA.

Rockwood Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ROC) is the ultimate parent company of Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc., a leading global specialty chemicals and advanced materials company. Rockwood has a worldwide employee base of approximately 10,200 people and net revenue of approximately $2.9 billion in 2004 on a pro forma basis. The company focuses on global niche segments of the specialty chemicals and advanced materials markets, including specialty chemicals, performance additives, titanium dioxide pigments, advanced ceramics, custom synthesis, specialty compounds and electronics. For more information on Rockwood, please visit www.rocksp.com.

The information set forth in this press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning the business, operations and financial condition of Rockwood Holdings, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Rockwood"). Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "forecasts," "predicts" and variations of such words or expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although Rockwood believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that its expectations will be realized. "Forward-looking statements" consist of all non-historical information, including the statements referring to the prospects and future performance of Rockwood. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in Rockwood's forward-looking statements due to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, the "Risk Factors" described in Rockwood's securities filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its registration statement on Form S-1.   Rockwood does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which any such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.