07/19/2005 - SC investment company publishes take-over bid

Today, SC-Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Frankfurt am Main, a subsidiary of the American investment company One Equity Partners LLC (OEP), published its voluntary public tender offer to Süd-Chemie AG´s free-float shareholders following review and approval by the German financial regulatory authorities (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)). The Managing Board, the Supervisory Board and the Works Council of Süd-Chemie AG in Munich will be issuing substantiated statements on this offer during the next few days.

The take-over bid envisages acquisition of Süd-Chemie shares at a price of 35 euros per share. This offer begins at the time of today´s publication and is expected to end on 26 August 2005 at 4.00 p.m. (CEST). OEP is aiming to obtain a simple majority in Süd-Chemie AG. The acquisition is still subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities.

OEP is planning to maintain Süd-Chemie´s independent position as a leading technological player operating from Bavaria and also promote its growth strategy. The aim is to enhance Süd-Chemie´s competitive position and its profitability in the long term.

The tender offer has been published in German only in the internet at http://www.scbeteiligung.de, in printed form for free distribution by Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG, Equity Capital Markets, MCD 3, Arabellastrasse 12, 81925 Munich, Fax no. +49 89-378-21771, and by way of an indicative announcement in the "Börsen-Zeitung" (Stock Exchange Journal).

Munich, 19 July 2005

Enquiries:
Süd-Chemie AG
Corporate Public Relations
Tel. +49-(0)89-5110-250
Fax +49-(0)89-5110-302

Süd-Chemie (www.sud-chemie.com) is an independent specialty chemical company headquartered in Munich and operating on a worldwide scale. Key markets served by its Adsorbents Division include the consumer-goods, packaging and foundry industries, as well as the paper and plastics industries. Products manufactured by the Catalysts Division offer solutions for water treatment, petrochemicals processing, energy storage and hydrogen production, as well as off-gas purification. The common denominator for all its products and innovations is the efficient and sparing use of natural resources to enhance the quality of life for humans and the environment. Sales of €862 million were generated in 2004, 80% of these outside Germany. Süd-Chemie employs more than 5,100 people at its 62 sales and production sites around the world.