Rockwood Press Release

Rockwood Pigments NA, Inc. and Southern Color N.A., Inc. Complete the Acquisition of the Assets of Southern Color Company, Inc.

BELTSVILLE, MD (March 28, 2003) — Rockwood Pigments NA, Inc., a worldwide leading supplier of inorganic color pigments, recently announced the completion of the acquisition of the business and assets of Southern Color Company, Inc. and its affiliates. The assets were acquired by Rockwood’s wholly owned subsidiary, Southern Color N.A., Inc. (“Southern Color”)

Southern Color is a major supplier of pigments, packaged mortar products and masonry coloring services to the construction industry, based in Cartersville, Georgia (approximately 35 miles north of Atlanta), with facilities in Ocala, Florida. Southern Color offers blending and packaging services for major cement producers, as well as color and specialty products for the brick and ready-mix markets and decorative concrete surface treatments including stains, sealers and overlay products. Key members of the senior management team will remain with the business. Financial terms of the closing were not disclosed.

“The Rockwood Pigments family worldwide is extremely pleased to welcome the employees of Southern Color Company, Inc and its affiliates. ” said Carlton Johnson, President, Rockwood Pigments NA, Inc. “Southern Color’s strong presence in the Southeast will assist Rockwood in this region of the country, as well as within the construction industry.”

Rockwood Pigments provides many unique products and services to the concrete industry including its patented Granufin granular technology used in manufactured concrete products and its advanced PC based Chameleon system for ready-mix applications. The company is also a major supplier of custom blended iron oxide pigments for multiple construction applications.

Rockwood Pigments is the second largest supplier of iron oxide pigments in the world and is headquartered in Beltsville, MD. Rockwood Pigments has US operating sites in St. Louis, MO; Beltsville, MD; and Los Angeles, CA and international operations in Turin, Italy; Walluf, Germany; Matlock, UK, China and Singapore. Rockwood Pigments NA, Inc. is a subsidiary of Rockwood Specialties Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Rockwood, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, USA, is a leading global specialty chemical company with sales of more than $800 million. The company focuses on niche segments of the specialty chemical market, including additives, specialty compounds, electronic chemicals, materials and services. Rockwood Specialties maintains operations in North America, Europe and Asia with a workforce of over 2,500 employees.