Chemetall Announces Global Price Increases

Chemetall, a division of Rockwood Holdings (NYSE: ROC), is currently increasing prices within a range of 5 to 20 percent or implementing and adjusting specific surcharges due to the requirements of its different global markets. We are taking this action due to increased costs for energy, raw materials and transportation costs.

Chemetall continues to develop cost-effective and reliable sources of supply and has invested in new capacities and cost-effective technologies. Appropriate prices are necessary to ensure that Chemetall will remain a long-term reliable and innovative partner for the company’s global customers.

Chemetall is a global company committed to specialty chemistry. The Group's activities focus on products and processes for the chemical treatment of metal surfaces and plastics, as well as selected fields of fine chemistry, e.g. lithium and cesium compounds.

Chemetall's businesses historically emerged from the combination of expertise in chemistry and metallurgy, which is still mirrored in the company's name. Chemetall mainly sells customised packages of products and services, ranging from consultation via development through to the operation of entire plants at the customer's site—for instance car body pre-treatment in the automotive industry. The company's product portfolio is based on continuous research and development of leading edge technologies. High performing products combined with Chemetall’s dedication to providing the best technical service and support to its customers have, over the decades, established excellent market positions in its fields of activity.

Chemetall GmbH is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. It is the centre of a worldwide network of some 40 subsidiaries in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Most of these companies operate their own production sites, and many also have their own development laboratories. A largely decentralised organisation ensures that each local company can respond quickly and flexibly to the customers' needs in its markets whilst at the same time being able to draw on the specialist resources within the Group. In this way Chemetall combines the strength of a global supplier with the flexibility and customer focus of a medium-size company. Since August 1st, 2004, Chemetall has been part of Rockwood Holdings, Inc.

Rockwood Holdings, Inc. is a leading global specialty chemicals and advanced materials company. Rockwood has a worldwide employee base of approximately 9,500 people and annual net sales of approximately $3 billion. The company focuses on global niche segments of the specialty chemicals, pigments and additives and advanced materials markets. 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. and 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 any 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 2007 Form 10-K and subsequent filings on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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.