LANXESS Greater China Achieved Double-digit Growth for Q3      

LANXESS in Greater China has once again achieved double-digit growth in sales for the third quarter despite the difficult economic environment. Sales for the region showed an increase of more than 25%, adjusted for portfolio and currency effects. The Butyl Rubber, Performance Butadiene Rubbers, Semi-Crystalline Products and Basic Chemicals business units displayed especially strong performances, driving LANXESS's profitable growth in China. Due to the stability of demand from existing customers and new programs, the Semi-Crystalline business unit maintained solid growth. The Basic Chemicals business unit also realized good growth through its strong sales in the Polyols business and ability to pass on raw material price increases.
    In addition to the rapid expansion in business, the Wuxi laboratory, launched in March 2008, further strengthened the company's offering of value-added services to customers in China.
    The group's sales improved by 6.4% to EUR 1 814 million (Q3 2007: EUR 1 765 million).  Sale in the Asia-Pacific region was expanded by a substantial 31.4% after adjusting for currency effects and for divested or newly integrated businesses. On an unadjusted basis, sales in the region declined by 2.5% to EUR 317 million (Q3 2007: EUR 325 million), accounting for 17.5% of the Group sales, down slightly from the prior-year figure of 19.1%.
   LANXESS has appointed Michelle Liu (34) as Chief Financial Officer Greater China on January 1st, 2009. She succeeds Martin Kraemer (42), who was appointed as LANXESS Country Representative Greater China, and will report to Matthias Zachert, CFO of LANXESS AG.