September 8, 2008

Michael H. Hoffmann

Phone 	+49 69 218-3583
Fax 	+49 69 218-63583
michael.hoffmann@evonik.com
Evonik Degussa GmbH
Weissfrauenstrasse 9
60287 Frankfurt am Main
Phone 	+49 69 218-01
Fax 	+49 69 218-3118
www.evonik.com

Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Dr. Werner Müller
Management Board
Dr. Klaus Engel (Chairman), 
Dr. Alfred Oberholz (dep.chm.),
Ralf Blauth, Heinz-Joachim Wagner, 
Patrik Wohlhauser

Registered office: Essen
Local Court: Essen
Commercial Register B 20227

Evonik Industries Expands Hydrogen Peroxide Production in South Africa

Evonik Industries is significantly expanding the capacity of the hydrogen peroxide plant at its Umbogintwini site in South Africa. “In the first half of 2009, we expect a 50 percent capacity increase to 15,000 metric tons,” announced Thomas Rieche, head of Evonik's Active Oxygens Business Line. The expansion is intended to secure market leadership in South Africa and meet the steadily increasing demand for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Evonik is investing about €3 million in the expansion of the production facilities. 

Evonik Industries has been active in South Africa for over thirty years, and producing H2O2 during the last eight years for the African market in Umbogintwini, near Durban. The pulp and paper industry in particular, which is the company's largest customer in South Africa, has announced that its requirements are increasing. Hydrogen peroxide is used here as an eco-friendly bleaching agent for pulp. Other customers include the chemical companies and the textile industry. 

With an annual capacity exceeding 600,000 metric tons, Evonik's Industrial Chemicals Business Unit is the world's second-largest producer of the eco-friendly bleaching and oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide. This is used mainly in paper and pulp bleaching, and some producers have recently begun using it in the synthesis of propylene oxide. Evonik produces H2O2 in Germany, Belgium, Italy, Austria, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Korea, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Company information
Evonik Industries is the creative industrial group from Germany which operates in three business areas: Chemicals, Energy and Real Estate. Evonik is a global leader in specialty chemicals, an expert in power generation from hard coal and renewable energies, and one of the largest private residential real estate companies in Germany. Our strengths are creativity, specialization, continuous self-renewal, and reliability. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In its fiscal year 2007 about 43,000 employees generated sales of about €14.4 billion and an operating profit (EBITDA) of more than €2.2 billion. 

Disclaimer
In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.