Altana Completes Acquisition of Wolstenholme Group Ltd.

After having received the approval by the German and British antitrust authorities, ALTANA AG will now complete the acquisition of the worldwide effect pigments business of the British company Wolstenholme Group Ltd. With immediate effect Wolstenholme’s business activities will be transferred to ALTANA. The acquisition contract was signed in June 2007; the purchase price for the business amounts to €24 million. Within the framework of the transaction, ALTANA is acquiring Wolstenholme’s business with bronze and aluminum pigments as well as printing inks based on these pigments for the graphic arts, coatings and plastics industries. In 2006, Wolstenholme achieved sales of about €29 million in this business area. The business will be integrated into the ALTANA division ECKART Effect Pigments, which generated sales of €339 million in 2006. ALTANA will not take over Wolstenholme’s production plants and employees in Great Britain and the US. Instead, ECKART is going to increase the production capacities in its main factory in the Franconian town of Güntersthal in Bavaria by investing about €10 million in the medium term. This press release is also available at www.altana.com/press About ALTANA: ALTANA develops and produces high-quality innovative products in the specialty chemicals business. The ALTANA Group, with headquarters in Wesel/Germany, is a genuine "global player” with 83% of its sales generated by international activities. The ALTANA Group has four divisions: BYK Additives & Instruments, ECKART Effect Pigments, ELANTAS Electrical Insulation, and ACTEGA Coatings & Sealants. All of these divisions occupy a leading position in their target markets with respect to quality, product solution expertise, innovation and service. ALTANA offers innovative, environmentally compatible solutions with the matching specialty products for coating manufactures, paint and plastic processors, the printing and cosmetic industries, and the electrical and electronic industry. The product range includes additives, special coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins & varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. At present, the ALTANA Group has 31 production facilities and 45 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the group 4,500 people work to ensure the success of ALTANA worldwide. In 2006 ALTANA achieved sales of about 1.3 billion euros. Its impressive earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the most successful and innovative chemical groups worldwide.