Albemarle Elects New Officer for Business Group

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) announced that Raymond Hurley was elected Vice President -- Catalysts, effective immediately. He joined the company in August 2004 as part of the acquisition of Akzo Nobel's refinery catalysts business.

In this role, he has responsibility for both refinery and polyolefin catalysts. He reports to John Steitz, Senior Vice President -- Business Operations.

Hurley most recently served as president of Akzo Nobel's refinery catalysts business based in Amersfoort, Netherlands. Prior to this position, Hurley served in a number of leadership and management positions around the world during his twenty-one year career with Akzo Nobel. He holds a degree in chemistry and also has an MBA.

Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, is a leading producer of specialty chemicals for consumer electronics; transportation and industrial products; pharmaceuticals; agricultural products; construction and packaging materials. The company's three business segments, Polymer Additives, Catalysts and Fine Chemicals (which includes custom manufacturing services for the life sciences market) serve customers in more than 100 countries, generating annual revenue of approximately $1.75 billion. Learn more about Albemarle at http://www.albemarle.com.

SOURCE  Albemarle Corporation
    -0-                             09/23/2004
    /CONTACT:  Laura Ruiz of Albemarle Corporation, +1-804-788-6005/
    /Web site:  http://www.albemarle.com/
    (ALB)

CO:  Albemarle Corporation
ST:  Virginia
IN:  CHM
SU:  PER

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