Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, CMP Technologies, a leader and innovator in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) technology for the global semiconductor industry, announced a series of internal and external investments in order to provide a full suite of advanced slurry products. These investments, which span several years, have given the company unprecedented access to leading edge particle technologies for a broad range of applications.

Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials most recent investment came in August of this year when the company invested in Nanophase Technologies Corp, a technology leader in nanomaterials and advanced nanoengineered products, as part of this overall growth strategy for its slurry business. These investments have also given the company the platforms and technologies to meet the next generation slurry needs as the market continues to evolve. Rohm and Haas is in a unique position to provide solutions for varied technologies and needs at 32nm and below through the company's internal resources and through alliance partner relationships.

The Nanophase investment was the latest step in Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials' strategy to build a comprehensive portfolio of slurry offerings for copper bulk, copper barrier, shallow trench isolation (STI), interlayer dielectric (ILD), and silicon wafer applications. The two companies have also extended their exclusive global partnership for the use of new nanomaterials and related dispersions for CMP applications. This partnership is developing innovative ceria-based slurries for current and future technology nodes in semiconductor fabrication.

?In addition to our Celexis? series of slurries for STI developed with Nanophase's nanoparticle technology, we have been involved in the manufacture of polishing slurries for more than two decades,? said Mario Stanghellini, executive vice president, global sales and marketing, CMP Technologies. ?In recent years, as the semiconductor industry has migrated to the use of copper, we've been executing a strategy to stimulate growth, both organically and through strategic partnerships and investments.?

Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials is involved in a number of other strategic relationships as part of its long-term vision for its slurry business, including AZ Electronic Materials, Epoch Material Co. Ltd., Nalco Company, and Nitta Haas.

AZ Electronic Materials is a global supplier to the semiconductor industry. Since 1997, Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials has been the global market source of Klebosol® slurries; the most widely used colloidal silica products for CMP polishing. Klebosol slurries are known to yield the lowest surface defectivity currently available. Together the two companies are developing new slurries for several next-generation CMP processes.

Epoch Material Co. Ltd., a major supplier of copper slurry products, was spun off from Taiwan's Eternal Chemical Co. Since 2001 Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials has allied with Epoch as a strategic partner to supply the global copper slurry market. The two companies are working closely together to develop new copper slurries for the most advanced CMP processes. To meet the growing demand in this market, Epoch recently invested in new technology and a new plant, and is poised to nearly triple its manufacturing capacity for copper slurry production.

Nalco Company is the leading global provider of integrated water treatment and process improvement services, chemicals and equipment programs for industrial and institutional applications. Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials has partnered with Nalco since 1979 developing colloidal slurries for the wafer polishing applications, which soon became the industry standard for stock and intermediate silicon polishing.

Nitta Haas Inc. is a joint venture between Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials and Japan-based Nitta Corporation, established in 1983. In addition to polishing pads, Nitta Haas manufactures a full line of slurry products for ILD, tungsten & silicon wafer applications at its facilities in Japan.

?We're dedicated to staying ahead of the industry's technology curve and having advanced polishing technology ready when our customers need it,? said Cathie Markham, vice president technology, CMP Technologies. ?Our long-term relationships with our strategic slurry partners are a natural reflection of this, and complement our position as the largest consumables supplier to the semiconductor industry.?

In addition to growing its slurry business with these relationships, Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials also expanded its slurry manufacturing capability in 2004 at its operations in Newark, Delaware. This is primarily for the high-volume production of the company's new acidic and non-acidic copper barrier slurries, used in the CMP process of advanced low-k dielectric devices, as well as slurries for STI applications.

About Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials

Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials develops and delivers innovative material solutions and processes to the electronic and optoelectronic industries. Focused on the circuit board, semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging industries, its products and technologies are integral elements in electronic devices around the world.

The CMP Technologies business (formerly Rodel) has been a leader and innovator in polishing technology for the global semiconductor industry since 1969. CMP Technologies' products include polishing pads, conditioners and slurries. CMP Technologies is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, and maintains operations throughout the world, including manufacturing facilities in Newark, Delaware and in the Mie and Kyoto prefectures in Japan. Additional information is available at http://electronicmaterials.rohmhaas.com.

About Rohm and Haas Company

Leading the way since 1909, Rohm and Haas (NYSE:ROH) is a global pioneer in the creation and development of innovative technologies and solutions for the specialty materials industry. The company's technologies are found in a wide range of markets including: Building and Construction, Electronics, Food and Retail, Household and Personal Care, Industrial Process, Packaging, Paper, Transportation and Water. Our innovative technologies and solutions help to improve life everyday, around the world. Based in Philadelphia, PA, the company generated annual sales of approximately $8 billion in 2005. Visit www.rohmhaas.com for more information. Imagine the possibilities?.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release includes forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations. The forward-looking statements contained in this announcement concerning demand for products and services, growth, investments, and actions that may be taken to improve financial performance, involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change.