Rockwood’s Chemetall Lithium Business OpensNew Butyllithium Operation in India

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align="right"/>Princeton, NJ, (November 9, 2011)– Chemetall Lithium India Pvt. Ltd., a business unit of Rockwood Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ROC), has inaugurated a new butyllithium operation in Gujarat, India. The new site is located in the Dahei SEZ (Special Economic Zone) and will function as the main platform for the supply of Chemetall's lithium products to India and other markets in the region.

Chemetall has based the installed technology at the new plant on expertise Chemetall has acquired over the last several decades as the leading manufacturer of air and moisture sensitive organometallic compounds. The facility will operate at the highest standards of safety and will ensure a reliable supply of high quality butyllithium, which is widely used as an initiator for anionic polymerization and as a base in organic, pharmaceutical or agrochemical syntheses. In addition to butyllithium operations, the facility will also be expanded to store and sell other specialty chemicals manufactured by Chemetall. With an internationally trained team, the site will simplify the logistics, reduce the lead time and boost Chemetall's presence locally in India and the region.

Chemetall has been a pioneer in India for over 20 years, starting with the supply of sampling and pilot quantities to major pharmaceutical producers. Chemetall recently introduced several successful new products into the Indian market. Currently, Chemetall supplies all major producers of active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as numerous generic drug manufacturers. Chemetall works closely together with research departments as well as with contract research organizations (CROs).

Chemetall is the world's leading manufacturer of lithium-based compounds and an innovative developer of metal-based fine chemicals for use in specialty applications. Chemetall's lithium-based compounds are used in a variety of high growth applications, including base chemicals for numerous industries, drug intermediates, elastomers for car tires and rubber soles, lithium batteries, thermoplastic materials and high performance greases. In addition, Chemetall supplies cesium compounds and special metals like zirconium for various industrial applications. Chemetall has lithium production facilities in the United States, Chile, Germany and Taiwan. For more information go to:www.chemetall.com

Chemetall is part ofRockwood Holdings, Inc., a leading global specialty chemicals and advanced materials company. Rockwood has a worldwide employee base of approximately 9,700 people and annual net sales of about $3.5 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 visitwww.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 periodic reports 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.

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