Rockwood Press Release

Rockwood Expands Production for Leading New Generation Wood Preservative

Rockwood Expands Production for Leading New Generation Wood Preservative ACQ Wood Preservative Quickly Gaining Market Share

CHARLOTTE, NC (May 9, 2002) — Chemical Specialties, Inc. (CSI), a division of Rockwood Specialties Inc., is currently investing $10 million on a new production facility in Harrisburg, NC in response to the rapid increase in demand for its new generation Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) wood preservative.

Steve Ainscough, President and CEO, Chemical Specialties Inc., explains, “The increased demand for ACQ is a result of CSI’s wood treating customers converting their operations to ACQ-based production following the announcement in February this year of an industry-wide voluntary transition to non-arsenic based wood preservatives.”

Working voluntarily with the U.S. EPA, CSI and other wood preservative manufacturers announced in February, a plan to transition most non-industrial uses of arsenic-containing wood preservatives (known as CCA, or chromated copper arsenate) to a new generation of preservatives such as ACQ. The transition will be completed by December 31, 2003.

ACQ wood preservatives are used to manufacture Preserve® and Preserve Plus brand wood products. The non-arsenic formulation provides equivalent performance against biological hazards, like decay and termite attack, to CCA pressure-treated wood preservatives that previously contained arsenic and chromium. “Our market leadership position with ACQ is based on our ongoing commitment to produce advanced preservation technology to meet the changing demands of the industry and the consumer market for treated wood products,” said Mr. Ainscough. “CSI will continue to work closely with our customers and the distributors, specifiers and end users of treated wood products to ensure a smooth transition to our new generation ACQ preservative.”

About Preserve® Wood Products

ACQ has become established as the most widely used new generation wood preservative with projected sales approaching 1 billion board feet of ACQ treated wood in the U.S. in 2002. Currently, there are over 500 retail outlets throughout the US that supply Preserve and Preserve Plus treated wood to the consumer and contractor market. Preserve with ACQ is standardized and accepted by the American Wood Preservers Association, the Canadian Standards Association and major building codes throughout North America. Preserve treated wood is approximately half the cost of cedar, redwood or plastic / composite alternatives, and initially weathers to an attractive natural-brown color before turning gray following long-term exposure to the sun. Preserve is easy to use in any application where decay and termite resistant construction materials are required. It can be stained or painted, and scraps may be disposed of through regular trash collection. Preserve Plus is also available with built-in water repellent to enhance the weathering properties of the treated wood.

The ACQ formulation has gained wide spread international acceptance with its use in the U.S., Europe, Japan, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For more than a decade, Preserve treated wood has been used in some of the world’s most environmentally sensitive locations. From the pristine environments of national parks and world heritage listed locations in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia, to neighborhood playgrounds and backyards, Preserve treated wood has been used to provide a durable building product for outdoor projects where environmental values are a priority.

Chemical Specialties, Inc. (Charlotte, NC), a subsidiary of Rockwood Specialties Inc., Princeton, NJ, is an international supplier of preservative formulations and processing technologies for the wood treatment industry, including timber preservatives, water repellants, fire retardants and mold inhibitors that enhance outdoor wood performance. For more information on ACQ and other wood preservation technologies available from Chemical Specialties, Inc., please visit www.treatedwood.com.

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.