Media Release

Phostech Lithium Plant Officially Opens

? Produces Life Power® P2 carbon coated lithium iron phosphate for electric and hybrid vehicle batteries and stationary storage
? Promotes sustainability through its products, processes and applications

Candiac, Québec (Canada), April 2, 2012 - Representatives from Clariant and Süd-Chemie, as well as Canadian and Québec government officials, today celebrated the official opening of a new battery materials manufacturing plant at Phostech Lithium Inc, a Clariant group company. The plant produces carbon coated lithium iron phosphate (C-LiFePO4) a high performance energy storage material used in batteries for electric vehicle drives, stationary energy storage and other applications. The facility will create more than 50 new jobs, helping to contributing to stimulate the regional economy.

The Phostech Lithium facility produces Life Power® P2 C-LiFePO4, a safe, high-power cathode material for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles, solar and wind energy storage and power tools. To meet the sharply increasing worldwide demand for Life Power® P2, Süd-Chemie - which acquired Phostech Lithium in 2008 - invested CAD $78 million in the Candiac facility, boosting global capacity by 2,500 metric tons per year. The project received a CAD $7.4 million
grant for construction and equipment from the Québec Government through Investissement Québec. Additional funding included a CAD $4.7 million grant from the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a CAD $1 million loan from Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Québec (CED) and CAD $250,000 from Emploi-Quebéc for worker training.
"Life Power® P2 is a good example of Clariant's focus on sustainability and is an important part of our corporate environmental protection and safety strategy," said Dr. Klaus Brandt, head of Süd-Chemie's Battery Materials business line. "Life Power® P2 is a leading-edge material that not only promotes broader adoption of alternative energy technologies - from electric vehicles to stationary energy storage systems in combination with renewable energy generation - but also is inherently safe for the
environment because it avoids hazardous substances and temperature runaway. Further, we designed the new Candiac facility with energy- efficient equipment and the latest emission control and effluent recycling systems, fully compliant with Quebéc's high standards."

Clariant Media Center

Phone: +41 61 469 6363 media.relations@clariant.com

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Media Release

"Opportunities must be seized to allow Quebec to distinguish itself in the battery-driven vehicle sector - a sector that is expected to grow significantly over the next several next years," said the Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife, Mr. Clément Gignac. "Phostech Lithium fits perfectly with our government`s action plan for battery-driven vehicles and, with its highly skilled workforce, will help us be more competitive on the international scene. The participation of our government in this project will also help to stimulate our economy in this important high-tech sector."
"Emploi-Québec, within the framework of large-scale economic projects, will help Phostech Lithium train 50 workers at its Saint-Bruno-de- Montarville facility and an additional 52 new employees in Candiac," said Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity, Julie Boulet. "Phostech Lithium`s qualified workforce, will be of great value to us by enhancing our global competitiveness."
"Our mission is to support commercialization of clean technologies - technologies that bring environmental interests together with economic pursuits," said Dr. Vicky Sharpe, President and CEO of SDTC. "Phostech Lithium's new Candiac plant and its products meet both these criteria to the fullest extent. We are pleased to be a part of this exciting project, which could lead to Canada having a foothold in the global battery and energy storage market with world-class technology."

Next-generation cathode material

Lithium-iron-phosphate is becoming one of the dominant cathode materials for electro-mobility and stationary lithium-ion batteries. Life Power® P2 eliminates the risk of fire or explosion from thermal runaway and does not contain hazardous materials such as cobalt, which is harmful to both the environment and human health.
Life Power® P2 is also superior to conventional cathode materials in terms of safety, life cycle and environmental compatibility. Importantly, it helps cell producers meet all safety requirements defined by the automobile industry. Other specific benefits of the material include: high performance at low temperatures, very high discharge power and fast recharge.
Additionally batteries made using Life Power® P2 can be used in hybrid- electric and full electric vehicles, and in stationary applications including home energy storage systems (HESS), and consumer products such as power tools.

Clariant Media Center

Phone: +41 61 469 6363 media.relations@clariant.com

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Media Release Boost to regional economy

The new plant has already provided an economic boost to Candiac. Construction of the 4000-square-meter building was performed by multiple local companies and provided work for more than 500 people. Phostech also hired and trained more than 50 new employees from the area. The in-house training was partially funded by Emploi-Québec.
END

Phostech Lithium Plant Officially Opens in Candiac, Québec. (Photo: Clariant)

Canadian Media Relations Donna E. Oldham, APR Phone: +1 704 331 7138

donna.oldham@clariant.com

Clariant Corporation

4000 Monroe Road

news.clariant.com

Clariant is an internationally active specialty chemical company, based in Muttenz near Basel. The group owns over 100 companies worldwide and employed 22 149 employees on December 31, 2011. In the financial year 2011, Clariant produced a turnover of CHF 7.4 billion. Clariant is divided into eleven business units: Additives; Catalysis & Energy; Emulsions, Detergents & Intermediates; Functional Materials; Industrial & Consumer Specialties; Leather Services; Masterbatches; Oil & Mining Services; Paper Specialties; Pigments; Textile Chemicals. Clariant focuses on creating value by investing in future profitable and sustainable growth, which is based on four strategic pillars: Improving profitability, innovation as well as research and development, dynamic growth in emerging markets, and optimizing the portfolio through complementary acquisitions or divestments.

About Süd-Chemie

Süd-Chemie (www.sud-chemie.com), a member of the Swiss Group owned by Clariant AG, Muttenz, is a specialty chemicals company headquartered in Munich, Germany and operating on a worldwide scale. The Süd-Chemie Group generated sales of EUR 1.225 billion in 2010, about 85% of these outside Germany. On 31 December 2010, the Group employed more than 6,400 people in approximately 120 sales and production companies worldwide. Financial results for Süd-Chemie were included in Clariant results beginning in May 2011.

Charlotte, North Carolina 28205

United States of America

Corporate Media Relations

Stefanie Nehlsen

Phone: +41 61 469 6363 stefanie.nehlsen@clariant.com

Clariant International AG

Rothausstrasse 61

4132 Muttenz 1

Switzerland

Clariant Media Center

Phone: +41 61 469 6363 media.relations@clariant.com

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This press release was issued by Clariant AG and was initially posted at http://www.clariant.com/C12576850036A6E9/news/A64A8C435CA07323C12579D40067A0D2/$File/20120402_Phoste ch_Lithium_Plant_Officially_Opens.pdf . It was distributed, unedited and unaltered, by noodls on 2012-04-02 21:26:15 PM. The issuer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the information contained therein.