Akzo's Rubber Chemicals Group.

Akzo's rubber chemicals group, an important unit of the Dutch-based chemicals giant Akzo, is a worldwide organization offering a broad line of chemicals to the elastomer industry. Insoluble sulfur, primary and secondary accelerators, antioxidants, antiozonants, cross-linking peroxides, white fillers, electroconductive carbon blacks, and many other specialties comprise our rubber chemicals product offering.

Chicago serves as the headquarters office for the rubber chemicals North American operations, while our sales efforts are centered about an office in Akron. In order to better serve customers nationwide, rubber chemicals sales managers are strategically located in other important market areas. Rubber chemicals are manufactured at twenty different locations worldwide, four of which are in the United States. The plants at Monongahela, PA and Axis (LeMoyne), AL produce Crystex[R] insoluble sulfur while the Pasadena, TX and Burt, NY sites manufacture Trigonox[R], Perkadox[R], and Cadox[R], cross-linking peroxides. We've recently added formulation capacity and flexibility for cross-linking peroxides at our Burt, NY plant.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

A major new laboratory for the development of rubber chemicals has been constructed at Deventer in the Netherlands. The United States research facility is located at our corporate research center in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Additional technical service support is provided by personnel located in Akron, Japan, Singapore and Europe.

TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN

In order to meet the changing demands of the marketplace, Akzo's rubber chemicals group is continually developing new technologies for rubber chemicals. For example, Akzo has introduced a non-nitrosamine forming accelerator. The rubber chemicals group is also introducing a wider range of formulated cross-linking peroxides and co-agents. New technologies for the production of mainline rubber chemicals are also under development. Environmentally friendly packaging is also being presented to the market.

INVESTMENTS FOR THE FUTURE

Akzo's dedication to rubber technology is demonstrated by recent investments and acquisitions made exclusively for the elastomer industry.

New facilities and capabilities include:

* An advanced technology thiuram plant in Cologne, Germany that was commissioned in 1990.

* A new Crystex[R] insoluble sulfur plant that was commissioned in Brazil in 1990.

* The expansion and further updating of Crystex[R] insoluble sulfur plants that began in 1990-91.

* Perkacit[R] TBBS, a widely-used accelerator in the tire industry, is now freely available.

* Perkacit[R] TBzTD, an alternative thiuram accelerator, is now freely available.

* A new white filler plant in Thailand was commissioned in 1991.

With a wide range of products, worldwide plant locations, and strong technical staffs, Akzo stands ready to continue to provide quality products and service to the rubber industry, both domestically and internationally.

Akzo is a diversified global chemical company whose 1992 sales were more than US$9 billion. The company maintains operations in 50 countries where it manufacturers and markets a variety of basic and specialty chemicals, salt, man-made fibers, coatings, and healthcare products. Based in Arnhem, the Netherlands, Akzo employs more than 60,000 people worldwide. In the U.S. and Canada, Akzo employs 10,000 people at more than 150 locations. Akzo's American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are listed on NASDAQ (symbol AKZOY).