Felcht gains honorary professorship from Chinese Jilin University

April 27, 2006

University honors Degussa Management Board Chairman Prof. Utz-Hellmuth Felcht (59), Management Board Chairman of Degussa AG, has been bestowed the title of honorary professor by Jilin University of Changchun, north China. The award has been made in recognition of his personal services in the field of high-performance polymer research and for playing a prominent role in fostering cooperation between Degussa and the university.

Prof. Zhou Qifeng, President of Jilin University, conferred the award in a festive ceremony attended by over 200 professors and students. Prof. Zhou Qifeng: "As an outstanding scientist in chemistry and CEO of a famous multinational enterprise, Prof. Felcht, with his keen insight and outstanding leadership skills, has been closely collaborating with many universities and pushing forward the industrialization of high-tech research results." Felcht held his acceptance speech on the topic of "Innovations at Degussa". Jilin University is one of China's foremost establishments of higher education. Prof. Zhou Qifeng is a chemist and member of the China Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academic Degrees Committee.

Relations between Degussa and Jilin University are defined by close collaboration, as evidenced by the joint venture JIDA Degussa High Performance Polymers Changchun Co. Ltd. (JIDA Degussa), which took up work in December 2005 with the objective of producing poly-etheretherketone (PEEK)* and polyethersulfone (PES). JIDA Degussa has enabled Degussa to expand its range of products in the attractive segment of high-performance polymers – which have to fulfill extreme mechanical, thermal and chemical requirements – for the automotive engineering and electronics end markets and the aerospace industry in particular. Degussa has an 80 percent stake in the joint venture via its Chinese holding, and Jilin University holds the remaining 20 percent. The joint venture benefits from Degussa's financial strength, its worldwide sales network and its high degree of application technology know-how, while the university acts as the technology provider and research partner.

Felcht held an honorary professorship at Frankfurt University between 1993 and 1999, and was awarded the same distinction in 1999 by Munich Technical University, where he has regularly held lectures since.

Degussa has been making specialty chemical products in China since 1988 and has distinctly expanded its presence in the country over the past few years, with Felcht playing an instrumental role in this respect. As the Degussa Management Board Chairman states, "Only companies that position themselves in emerging markets early on will be able to stand their ground in future in the international chemical industry." Today Degussa operates 23 companies in China. Its production facilities in Anqui, Beijing, Changchun, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Huzhou, Jining, Liaoyang, Nanning, Qingdao, Rizhao, Shanghai, and Yingkou make a broad spectrum of high-quality products – ranging from carbon blacks, rubber silanes, amino acids, polyurethane foam additives, high performance polymers and initia-tors used in the production of plastics – aligned to customers all over Asia. In fiscal 2005, Degussa's Chinese operations generated sales of over €320 million with around 2,600 employees.

* PEEK is the official abbreviation for polyetheretherketone as defined by ISO 1043.

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Degussa is the global market leader in specialty chemicals. Our business is creating essentials–innovative products and system solutions that make indispensable contributions to our customers’ success. In fiscal 2005 around 44,000 employees worldwide generated sales of 11.8 billion euros and operating profits (EBIT) of 940 million euros.