Mannheim - Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH, a known innovative and reliable partner to the rubber industry, continues to expand its portfolio of additives for high-performance applications. The rubber specialist helps customers meet the rising demands imposed on end products by supplying complete tailor-made packages and the ongoing expansion of its product lines. New in the range of products are Aflux® 18, a processing promoter which is highly effective even in very low dosage, and the vulcanization retarder Rhenogran® ZDDT-50.
The effect of Aflux® 18 in compounds based on AEM (VAMAC), ACM and EVA extends to processing as well as vulcanization. It significantly improves processing and handling on the open roll mill by drastically reducing adhesion of the compounds to metal surfaces. It has a positive impact on mix viscosity and flow characteristics. Depending on the cure system used, Aflux® 18 can even retard scorch. Moreover, it has no influence on the aging characteristics of the resulting vulcanizates.

Rhenogran® ZDDT-50, in combination with specific cure systems, is a highly efficient retarder for the vulcanization of ACM and ECO. For example, fully accelerated ECO-compounds containing a lead-free cure system
based on Rhenogran® Triazine TM-70 gain a shelf life of several weeks thanks to Rhenogran® ZDDT-50. Additionally Rhenogran® ZDDT-50 improves compound flow characteristics and release properties of vulcanizates.

With Rhenogran® Na-Stearate-50, Rhenogran® K-Stearate-50, and Rhenogran® Na-Oleate-50, the Rhein Chemie Rubber Division has developed an entire range of new polymer-bound activators for ACM, applicable for example in combination with Rhenogran® Diuron-80. In combination with specific ACM grades, these cure systems display very high reactivity, which eliminates the need for post-curing of the vulcanizates.

Other activators, polymer-bound accelerators, crosslinkers and cure systems for vulcanizing a variety of AEM, ACM and ECO compounds, e. g. Rhenogran® Triazine TM-70 /AEMD and Rhenogran® HMDC-70/AEMD, are placed at the disposal of our customers worldwide in the rubber industry.

Rhein Chemie is a company that has successfully been providing the chemical industry with tailor-made additives and service products for more than 100 years. Approximately 1,000 Rhein Chemie employees produce and sell products worldwide to many segments of the rubber, lubricant, plastics and polyurethane industries. About 550 employees work at the head office in Mannheim-Rheinau. The company has subsidiaries and production facilities in Europe, Asia and North and South America. Rhein Chemie is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the LANXESS Group, Leverkusen

Mannheim, July 2006
sch (2006-07-810EN)

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Contact:
Manuela Schroeder, Tel.: +49 (0)621-8907-429, Fax: +49 (0)621-8907-8429
Manuela.schroeder@rheinchemie.com

Forward-looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by the management of Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of our sole stockholder LANXESS Deutschland GmbH and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in LANXESS AG's reports to the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. LANXESS AG and Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH assume no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.