Rockwood Press Release

Southern Clay Products Announces
North American Price Increase

Gonzales, TX USA (December 19, 2005) – Effective January 1, 2006 or as contracts allow, Southern Clay Products, Inc will increase prices of its Permont^® additives by an average of six percent within the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) region. The increase will vary slightly by grade.

“Rapidly escalating energy and freight costs have impacted us all,” explains Donald Poucher, vice president of sales and marketing for Southern Clay Products, “and make this a necessary course of action. This realistic adjustment will enable us to continue to provide our customers with the quality products, excellent service and supply assurance they expect.”

Permont additives for water-based paint and coatings systems are the world's only liquid smectite rheology agents. For more information on Permont additives, please visit www.permont.com.

Southern Clay Products, Inc, Gonzales, Texas, is a leading supplier of smectite-based functional additives to several markets. The company's complete line of water- and solvent-based rheological additives also includes Garamite^®, Bentolite^®, Claytone^®, Mineral Colloid^®, Gelwhite^® and Laponite^® rheological additives.  For more information on the full range of products, please visit www.scprod.com.

Southern Clay Products is part of Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc., Princeton, N.J.

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.