Research Triangle Park, North Carolina – July 6, 2006 – Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex has announced a worldwide price increase for nitrile latex used in the manufacture of gloves. Effective July 15, 2006, the price of nitrile butadiene (NB) latex for glove manufacturing will increase by five percent (5%) worldwide.

The company cited the continuing escalation in raw material and energy costs, as well as significant changes in the profile of the raw materials market, as key reasons for the price increase. According to Rob Ewing, global marketing manager for the glove industry for Dow Reichhold, synthetic polymer producers have had to develop a pricing strategy that reflects a new reality in raw material supply and demand.

“The raw materials market continues to be a challenge,” said Ewing. “Methacrylic acid, acrylonitrile and to a lesser extent butadiene, have been impacted by feedstock availability as well as supply constrictions. Coupled with demand that is reaching ten year highs in some applications, the result is a new level of pricing that we believe will be with us well into the future,” Ewing concluded.

In addition to this announcement Dow Reichhold recently announced a price increase for the company’s full line of specialty latexes for all other applications and markets.

Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex and its parent company Reichhold, Inc., have been part of the glove industry since the 1960’s. The company developed the nitrile latex technology that has become the synthetic latex of choice for glove manufacturing. Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex LLC is a 50/50 joint venture of The Dow Chemical Company and Reichhold, Inc. The joint venture is the world’s largest producer of specialty latex. The company is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, U.S.A.

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