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Sub Template About Ethy PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT In 1921 Charles Kettering discovered that a certain combination of chemicals added to gasoline could reduce the noisy and harmful engine "knock" produced by gasoline of that time. Kettering formed the General Motors Chemical Corporation, a joint venture between General Motors and Standard Oil of New Jersey in 1923. A year later, the company became Ethyl Gasoline Corporation and finally, Ethyl Corporation in 1942. Incorporated in Virginia, today's Ethyl Corporation traces our roots in Richmond, Virginia back to 1887 and the Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Company. Well known for premium brand blotting paper, Floyd D. Gottwald became the president of the paper company in 1941. Mr. Gottwald oversaw the expansion of the company as well as efforts to convert Albemarle's paper production into finished products. In the late 1950s, novel materials such as polyethylene film threatened the paper business. Mr. Gottwald sought a partner to make polyethylene and discovered Ethyl Corporation. In 1962, Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Company acquired Ethyl Corporation in what was identified at the time as the largest leveraged buy-out on record. Popular headlines described the transaction as "Jonah Swallows the Whale". F.D. Gottwald ran the company along with his sons, F.D. ("Bill") Gottwald, Jr. and Bruce C. Gottwald. Over the next 20 years, Ethyl Corporation diversified and organized operations into four groups: chemicals, plastics, aluminum, and energy. After expanding and diversifying during the 1980s, Ethyl Corporation began to spin-off a number of divisions. The first spin-off involved the aluminum, plastics and energy units, which became Tredegar Industries in 1989. Other divisions were either spun-off or sold and then, in 1994, Ethyl spun-off the specialty chemicals business as Albemarle Corporation. As the global consolidation trend of the 1990's came to the petroleum industry, Ethyl led the charge for petroleum additives. In 1992 Ethyl acquired Amoco Petroleum Additives in the U.S. and Nippon Cooper in Japan. In 1996 Ethyl acquired the Texaco Additives Company. This acquisition pattern Ethyl allowed to expand our global presence, enhance our research and testing capabilities, and broaden our product offerings - all while carefully and efficiently streamlining our manufacturing and support functions. Ethyl has successfully combined the best of four of the world's former additive companies. The result is an organization that has driven costs out and efficiency in to the petroleum additives industry. Ethyl is now a full-service global petroleum additives supplier, strongly guided by our commitment to innovative technology and world-class research. Ethyl's significant investment in research and development demonstrates our commitment to the future of the petroleum additives industry. In 1994, Ethyl dedicated a new, state-of-the-art facility in Richmond, Virginia, next door to the corporate headquarters. At the same time, Ethyl renovated our European research and test facility in Bracknell, Berkshire, England. Ethyl's continuing investment in research and performance testing enhances our the ability to offer new and improved technologies, superior and cost-effective product performance, and leading-edge technical support. Today, Ethyl Corporation provides additive chemistry solutions to enhance the performance of petroleum products. Ethyl develops, manufactures, blends and delivers leading-edge additive technology for fuels and lubricants around the world. Our Value-Additive TechnologyTM makes fuels burn cleaner, engines run smoother, and machines last longer. [ HOME ] [ INDEX ] [ LEGAL NOTICE ] Page 1 of2 http://www.ethyl.com/about/about.htm 8/23/2002 Sub Template Copyright 2000 Ethyl Corporation Page 2 of 2 http://www.ethyl.com/about/about.htm 8/23/2002