Crompton Names Odaniell Head of Unified Specialty Chemicals Businesses.

Business Editors

MIDDLEBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2004

To unify the management of its specialty chemicals businesses, Crompton (NYSE:CK) announced that Myles S. Odaniell, 45, has been named executive vice president, Specialty Chemicals, effective immediately. Odaniell will have responsibility for Crompton's entire portfolio of chemical businesses, which includes Polymer Additives, Polymers and Refined Products, with combined annual sales of approximately $1.7 billion. Mary L. Gum, executive vice president, Performance Chemicals and Elastomers Group, will remain with the company to work on special projects until her retirement at the end of the year.

Odaniell, who has served as executive vice president, Plastics and Petroleum Additives since joining Crompton in June 2003, spent more than 20 years at Cytec Industries Inc./American Cyanamid Company, where he served most recently as president - Coating and Performance Chemicals and president - Cytec Latin America. In these positions, he was responsible for a portfolio of global specialty chemicals businesses that manufacture and market resins and specialty additives. He has a proven track record of creating value in both growth and mature businesses.

Odaniell received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut.

"This is another important step in a series of strategic actions designed to streamline decision making, improve efficiency and optimize resource management across our portfolio of global businesses," said Robert L. Wood, chairman, president and CEO of Crompton. "We are confident that this structure will improve the execution of our business strategies and enhance our ability to identify and deliver competitive products.

"Myles Odaniell has proven himself to be a strong, results-oriented leader. He has achieved significant progress in our Plastics and Petroleum Additives businesses during his 11-month tenure at Crompton and I am confident that he will do the same for our entire specialty chemicals portfolio. I also am very pleased that we will be able to take advantage of Mary Gum's broad expertise on a variety of important domestic and international projects for the remainder of the year."

Crompton Corporation, with annual sales of $2.2 billion, is a producer and marketer of specialty chemicals and polymer products and equipment. Additional information concerning Crompton Corporation is available at www.cromptoncorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 

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