Henkel takes further step towards acquisition of National Starch businesses

Agreement reached on transaction value

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ots.CorporateNews transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for
the content of this announcement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

companies/Akzo Nobel

Düsseldorf (euro adhoc) - Düsseldorf, August 6, 2007

Agreement reached on transaction value

Henkel takes further step towards acquisition of

National Starch businesses

Henkel has reached an agreement with Akzo Nobel on the value of a
back-to-back transaction. The transaction envisages that Henkel will
acquire the adhesives and electronic materials businesses of
National Starch, a subsidiary company of ICI. The agreed transaction
value is 2.7 billion GBP (close to 4 billion euros). The
signing of the back-to-back agreement is still subject to the
approval of the Henkel Shareholders' Committee. The transaction is
conditional on the successful completion of the takeover of ICI by
Akzo Nobel.

"With this agreement, we have taken a major step towards the
successful conclusion of the planned acquisition. We consider the
agreed transaction value to be a fair price, since the new
businesses offer exceptional complementarity with our portfolio,"
says Ulrich Lehner, Chairman of the Management Board of Henkel.
"Moreover, we expect significant synergies and a
substantial improvement of our growth and profit prospects to
arise from the planned combination."

Düsseldorf - Henkel KGaA and Akzo Nobel N.V., Arnhem, The
Netherlands, have reached an agreement on the value of a
back-to-back transaction on August 6, 2007. The transaction
envisages that Henkel will acquire the adhesives and electronic
materials businesses of National Starch and Chemical Company,
Bridgewater, N.J., USA, a subsidiary company of ICI plc,
London, UK. The transaction value of these businesses is 2.7
billion GBP (close to 4 billion euros). Signing of the agreement
on the back-to-back transaction is still pending. It is intended
to execute the agreement, which is still subject to the approval of
the Henkel Shareholders' Committee, immediately prior to the
announcement of a formal offer by Akzo Nobel for ICI. The
transaction is conditional on the successful completion of the
takeover of ICI by Akzo Nobel.

With this acquisition, Henkel would strengthen its existing leading
position in the global adhesives market, particularly in the
industrial business. The National Starch businesses to be acquired
realized sales of about 1.26 billion GBP (about 1.85 billion
euros) in 2006 and would increase sales of the Adhesives
Technologies business sector to approximately 7.3 billion euros
- around half the total sales of Henkel.

Strategic fit The businesses to be acquired from National Starch
offer high complementarity with the existing Henkel portfolio of
the Adhesives Technologies business sector. This applies with
regard to the exceptional geographical and technological as
well as market segment complementarity of the respective
businesses.

Significant synergies Henkel expects significant synergies to arise
from this combination of 240 to 260 million euros per year. The
main portion would be derived from cost synergies. Due to the
complementary businesses, Henkel also expects revenue synergies.
Henkel anticipates that, following the closing of the acquisition
and adjusted for restructuring costs, the transaction will be
earnings accretive in the first year.

Solid financing structure To finance the acquisition, Henkel is
considering a combination of debt and/or equity capital and/or the
possible divestiture of non-core assets. It is Henkel's
declared aim to retain a rating in the "A" category. The
planned acquisition will improve Henkel's cash flow position enabling
a rapid reduction of debt despite the associated restructuring
costs.

For more than 130 years, Henkel has been a leader with brands and
technologies that make people's lives easier, better and more
beautiful. Henkel operates in three business areas - Home Care,
Personal Care, and Adhesives Technologies - and ranks among the
Fortune Global 500 companies. In fiscal 2006, Henkel generated
sales of 12.740 billion euros and operating profit of 1,298
million euros. Our 52,000 employees worldwide are dedicated to
fulfilling our corporate claim, "A Brand like a Friend," and
ensuring that people in more than 125 countries can trust in
brands and technologies from Henkel.

This document contains forward-looking statements which are
based on the current estimates and assumptions made by the
corporate management of Henkel KGaA. Forward-looking statements
are characterized by the use of words such as expect, intend, plan,
predict, assume, believe, estimate, anticipate, etc. Such statements
are not to be understood as in any way guaranteeing that those
expectations will turn out to be accurate. Future performance and
the results actually achieved by Henkel KGaA and its affiliated
companies depend on a number of risks and uncertainties and may
therefore differ materially from the forward-looking statements.
Many of these factors are outside Henkel's control and cannot be
accurately estimated in advance, such as the future economic
environment and the actions of competitors and others
involved in the marketplace. Henkel neither plans nor undertakes
to update any forward-looking statements.

Under the provisions of Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code"),
if any person is, or becomes, "interested" (directly or indirectly)
in one per cent or more of any class of "relevant securities" of ICI,
all "dealings" in any "relevant securities" of that company
(including by means of an option in respect of, or a derivative
referenced to, any such "relevant securities") must be publicly
disclosed by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the London
business day following the date of the relevant transaction. This
requirement will continue until the date on which the offer becomes,
or is declared, unconditional as to acceptances, lapses or is
otherwise withdrawn or on which the "offer period" otherwise ends.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or
understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire an "interest"
in "relevant securities" of ICI, they will be deemed to be a single
person for the purposes of Rule 8.3 of the Code. Under the provisions
of Rule 8.1 of the Code, all "dealings" in "relevant securities" of
ICI by Akzo Nobel or ICI, or by any of their respective "associates",
must be disclosed by no later than 12.00 noon (London time) on the
London business day following the date of the relevant transaction. A
disclosure table, giving details of the companies in whose "relevant
securities" "dealings" should be disclosed, and the number of such
securities in issue, can be found on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. "Interests in securities" arise, in
summary, when a person has long economic exposure, whether
conditional or absolute, to changes in the price of securities. In
particular, a person will be treated as having an "interest" by
virtue of the ownership or control of securities, or by virtue of any
option in respect of, or derivative referenced to, securities. Terms
in quotation marks are defined in the Code, which can also be found
on the Takeover Panel's website. If you are in any doubt as to
whether or not you are required to disclose a "dealing" under Rule 8
of the Code, you should consult the Panel. -----------------------

[pic]

end of announcement euro adhoc 06.08.2007 11:14:03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ots Originaltext: Henkel KGaA
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:
Kontakt:
Henkel Unternehmenskommunikation

Ernst Primosch
Telefon: +49-211-797-3533
Telefax: +49-211-798-2484

Lars Witteck
Telefon: +49-211-797-2606
Telefax: +49-211-798-9208

Wulf Klüppelholz
Telefon: +49-211-797-1875
Telefax: +49-211-798-9208

press@henkel.com
http://henkel.de/presse

Branche: Consumer Goods
ISIN: DE0006048408
WKN: 604840
Index: DAX, HDAX, Prime All Share, CDAX
Börsen: Börse Frankfurt / official dealing/prime standard
Börse Hamburg / free trade
Börse Stuttgart / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Börse Hannover / free trade
Börse München / free trade
Börse Berlin / official dealing