Albemarle announces that company's business director, fine chemistry R&D director, David DeCuir, has been elected to two-year term as vice chairman, Society of Chemical Manufacturers' board of governors

Alison Gallant

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana , January 17, 2012 (press release) – Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB - News), a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered specialty chemicals, announced today that David DeCuir, Business Director - Custom Services and Director of Fine Chemistry Research & Development (R&D), was elected to a two year term as Board of Governors Vice Chairman of The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA).

"SOCMA's networking and advocacy efforts have complemented and enhanced the doubling of Albemarle's Fine Chemistry Services business over the past two years, while promoting the needs of the chemical industry in halls of power in Washington, D.C.," said DeCuir, who has served on the SOCMA Board of Governors for the past 4 years.

SOCMA is the only United States based trade association dedicated solely to the batch, custom and specialty chemical industry. SOCMA consists of roughly 220 small, medium and large chemical companies, most of which are located in the United States. From its office in Washington, D.C., SOCMA advocates on behalf of the batch, custom and specialty chemical industry for U.S. laws and regulations that affect the members' competitiveness and bottom line. SOCMA supports the industry with programs that maximize commercial and networking opportunities, increase public confidence and influence the passage of rational laws and regulations.

Mr. DeCuir has been employed by Albemarle for 31 years and has previously held multiple positions in Business Management, Business Development and Research and Development. Mr. DeCuir is a graduate of Louisiana State University with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business Administration. He has served in his current role of Business Director - Custom Services and Director of Fine Chemistry R&D for three years. During those three years, Albemarle's Custom Services business has grown dramatically and has broadened its customer base and markets to include pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, and specialty lubricants and chemicals.

About SOCMA
SOCMA is the only U.S. based trade association dedicated solely to the batch, custom and specialty chemical industry. Since 1921, we have represented a diverse membership of small, medium and large chemical companies, making us the leading authority on this sector. SOCMA has a global membership of more than 200 companies. For more information on our services and products, please visit www.socma.com.

ChemStewards® is SOCMA's flagship environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) continuous performance improvement program. ChemStewards was created from industry's commitment to reducing our environmental footprint. Industry created ChemStewards to meet the unique needs of the batch, custom, and specialty chemical industry. As a mandatory requirement for SOCMA members engaged in the manufacturing or handling of chemicals, ChemStewards is helping participants reach for superior EHS&S performance. To learn more visit www.chemstewards.com

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 2010 and 2011. Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

Albemarle's Fine Chemistry Services (FCS) Division is an innovative, full-service provider of fine chemicals to the world's leading companies across the pharmaceutical, agrichemical, and specialty materials markets. Albemarle's FCS Division helps global customers complete hundreds of successful projects through a powerful combination of proven chemistry expertise, game-changing process development, high-quality custom manufacturing and exceptional service. From innovative R&D to commercial-scale production, Albemarle's FCS Division delivers the knowledge, experience, resources, creativity and service you need to move products to market faster and accelerate your business. To learn more about Albemarle's FCS Division, please visit www.albemarle.com/fcs.

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