Chemical major BASF USA to increase styrene-butadiene latex prices for the carpet industry.

Effective September 1, 2005, or as contracts allow, BASF will raise prices in the United States and Canada on all Styrofan carboxylated styrene-butadiene emulsion polymers supplied to the carpet industry by four cents per dry pound.

Styrofan is a registered trademark of BASF Corporation.

BASF is The Chemical Company. They don''t make a lot of the products you buy. They make a lot of the products you buy better.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. They employ about 10,000 people in North America and had sales of approximately $11 billion in 2004. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF’s intelligent solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful.

BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. In 2004, BASF had approximately 82,000 employees and posted sales of more than $50 billion. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA), New York (BF), Paris (BA) and Zurich (AN).