Johnson Matthey announced on 10th December 2007 that it had signed an agreement to buy Argillon Group for €214 million in cash from Ceramics Luxembourg 2(f) S.à r.l., a company owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. funds, and that the transaction was conditional upon competition clearance in Germany.

Johnson Matthey has now received competition clearance for the acquisition from the German Federal Cartel Office.

This means that the acquisition is expected to be completed on Wednesday 6th February 2008.

Enquiries:

Johnson Matthey

Ian Godwin
Director, IR and Corporate Communications
020 7269 8410

John Sheldrick
Group Finance Director
020 7269 8408

David Morgan
Executive Director, Group Corporate Development
020 7269 8454

The HeadLand Consultancy

Howard Lee
020 7367 5225