Huntsman Makes Improvements To Further Its Commitment To Polyurethane Industry

Manufacturing, Environmental Improvements Keep Company on Top

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Huntsman Performance Products, a division of Huntsman Corporation (NYSE:HUN), today announced the completion of improvements to its manufacturing facility in Petfurdo, Hungary, addition of blending capabilities in Asia and the initial registration of a novel amine catalyst in Japan for low emission/low odor foam applications, underscoring the Company’s long-term commitment to the polyurethane industry.

Huntsman’s plant in Petfurdo, Hungary, has undergone significant upgrades to the reaction and purification operations, thus expanding the production capabilities for the JEFFCAT® amine catalyst line of urethane catalysts. In addition, Huntsman recently added blending capabilities for the amine catalysts to its operations in the APAC region. These expansions, coupled with the new, world-class Huntsman Advanced Technology Center and amines technical expertise located in The Woodlands, Texas, position Huntsman as a long-term global leader in amine catalyst chemistry.

“We have a long-standing commitment to the polyurethane additive industry and the challenges it faces,” said Stu Monteith, Vice President for Performance Specialties. “With these improvements to the manufacturing site in Hungary and our continued investment in Asia, Huntsman can now even better meet the global demands of the polyurethane industry. These investments will compliment our multi-purpose amine manufacturing unit in Conroe, Texas and strengthen our global presence with state-of-the-art and cost-efficient production.”

Huntsman also completed the initial registration for its JEFFCAT® ZF-10 amine catalyst in Japan.  JEFFCAT ZF-10 is a reactive blow catalyst for low emission/low odor foam applications and is already registered in the Americas, Europe and several countries in Asia.  JEFFCAT ZF-10 is part of a large and growing family of unique JEFFCAT catalysts and can be used in combination with several reactive gel catalyst solutions from Huntsman.  The registration of JEFFCAT ZF-10 will allow Huntsman to quickly meet Japan’s new demand on low emissions for automotive interiors.

JEFFCAT ZF-10 catalyst is used in a wide variety of polyurethane foam applications including flexible polyether slabstock, automotive molding and rigid packaging foams. As one of the worldwide leaders in catalyst production, Huntsman developed JEFFCAT ZF-10 catalyst as an alternative to conventional amine blow catalysts such as JEFFCAT® ZF-22. The demand for this catalyst continues to grow as the industry switches to lower emission, lower odor alternatives. These advantages are seen in the final foam application.

Automotive interiors contain flexible foam in various forms such as seating, headrests, armrests and sound insulation. The continuous demand for new technologies in this industry necessitates changes in the catalysis of flexible polyurethane foams. These changes are related to minimization of amine emissions and to toxicological considerations during production and in the finished products. Since JEFFCAT ZF-10 reacts into the foam polymer, it does not contribute to the problems normally associated with volatile amines such as fogging, odor and vinyl staining.  Very little adjustment is needed to the foam formulation to successfully process with JEFFCAT ZF-10.  This has contributed to strong growth in demand for this product around the world.  In addition, Huntsman continues to support customers with current and new reactive amine catalysts for the gel reaction.

Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and commodity chemicals. Its operating companies manufacture products for a variety of global industries including chemicals, plastics, automotive, aviation, textiles, footwear, paints and coatings, construction, technology, agriculture, health care, detergent, personal care, furniture, appliances and packaging. Originally known for pioneering innovations in packaging and, later, rapid and integrated growth in petrochemicals, Huntsman today has 15,000 employees and 78 operations in 24 countries. The Company had 2005 revenues of $13 billion.

Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company’s operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed in the Huntsman companies’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the company’s expectations will be realized. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.