Paris, October 28, 2008—On October 23, 2008, Albemarle Chemicals SAS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Albemarle Corporation, initiated the information consultation process with the Works Council related to the potential divestiture of its manufacturing facility in Port-de-Bouc (Bouches-du-Rhône), France, to International Chemical Investors (ICIG), a German group headquartered in Frankfurt. Under the proposed terms, ICIG would acquire part of the on-going business relating to fine chemical and other brominated products owned by Albemarle Chemicals SAS (to the exclusion of the flame retardant business and the bromine fine chemicals business), as well as the land and buildings of the facility. In addition, ICIG would toll manufacture Pyrochek and certain bromine fine chemicals for Albemarle.

The completion of the acquisition is subject to the conclusion of a definitive agreement and various customary conditions precedent, which should be fulfilled by December 31, 2008.

The Port-de-Bouc facility currently employs 112 employees.

Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A., is a leading global developer, manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered specialty chemicals.

International Chemical Investors is an investment group focusing on mid-sized chemical businesses, preferably subsidiaries of large corporations which are considered non-core.