Henkel closes acquisition of National Starch businesses

Adhesives business significantly strengthened

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finances/Henkel

Düsseldorf (euro adhoc) - [pic]Düsseldorf, April 3, 2008
Adhesives business significantly strengthened

Henkel closes acquisition of National Starch businesses

Henkel has taken over from Akzo Nobel the Adhesives and Electronic
Materials businesses previously owned by National Starch. "This
acquisition represents a milestone in our 130-plus-year corporate
history and points Henkel clearly in the direction of further
profitable growth," said Ulrich Lehner, Chairman of the
Management Board of Henkel KGaA. The acquisition was preceded by the
carve- out of the businesses to be acquired by Henkel and the
requisite antitrust and anticompetitive investigations by the
relevant authorities.

In 2007, these two business segments of National Starch generated
sales of 1.25 billion GBP (about 1.83 billion euros). The purchase
price was 2.7 billion GBP (about 3.7 billion euros). Following
the integration, annualized sales of Henkel's Adhesives
Technologies business sector will increase to about 7.5 billion
euros. Henkel expects synergies from the acquisition of 240 to
260 million euros per year and anticipates it will realize the
full synergy potential from 2011 on.

"We will do everything in our power to integrate this excellent
company with its outstanding employees and products quickly and
smoothly", added Ulrich Lehner. Henkel will provide an update on
the integration process in connection with the publication of the
Q1 figures on May 7, 2008.

Market position strengthened

By acquiring the Adhesives and Electronic Materials businesses
of National Starch, Henkel substantially further strengthens its
leading position in the global adhesives markets, particularly
in the industrial segment. The businesses of National Starch
and the existing Henkel Adhesives Technologies portfolio
excellently complement each other.

Within Henkel's Adhesives Technologies business sector, the
acquisition will have a particular impact on the packaging and
wood adhesives businesses, as well as on the electronics business.
Henkel, for example, has very good market positions in the
laminating adhesives segment used in the manufacture of
flexible packaging for food products, while National Starch is a
leader in pressure-sensitive adhesives. As a result of the
merger, these technologies will be accessible to a larger
number of customers, while new areas of application are
expected to be developed. In the electronics field, National
Starch offers a specialty adhesive with which electronic chips can be
bonded on - for example - credit cards, while Henkel markets
solutions for the protection of these sensitive chips against
damaging environmental influences such as heat or sun radiation. The
combination of the two businesses now enables customers to source
both solutions from a single supplier.

Henkel also sees a significant strengthening of its regional market
positions. The share of sales accounted for by the Asia-Pacific
region will, with the acquisition of the National Starch
businesses, increase from 8 percent to around 12 percent, and
the share of sales of the adhesives business per se in this region
will actually double due to the already strong position of both
companies. At the same time, the strong market position enjoyed by
Henkel in Europe, particularly in the growth region of Eastern
Europe, can be leveraged to accelerate expansion by enabling
brands and technologies from National Starch to be marketed via
the Henkel sales and distribution network already established in
this region.

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 2007, Henkel generated
sales of 13,074 million euros and operating profit of 1,344
million euros. Our 53,000 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 information 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.

Henkel KGaA

Head of Corporate Communications
Ernst Primosch, Corporate Vice President

Press Contact:
Henkel Corporate Communications

Lars Witteck Wulf Klüppelholz
Phone: +49-211-797-2606 Phone: +49-211-797-1875
Fax: +49-211-798-9208 Fax: +49-211-798-9208

press@henkel.com

Photo material for download available at http://henkel.com/press
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end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Henkel KGaA
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Irene Honisch

Assistent Corporate Communications

Tel.: +49 (0)211 797-5668

E-Mail: irene.honisch@henkel.com

Branche: Consumer Goods
ISIN: DE0006048432
WKN: 604843
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