IMERYS to Raise North American Performance Mineral Prices

ATLANTA--Oct. 9, 2003--Imerys announces price increases on North American Performance Mineral grade pigments effective January 15, 2004. The price increases affect calcium carbonate and kaolin products with an average increase of 5%.

"Over the past several years Imerys Performance Minerals has been successful at improving plant efficiencies and reducing overall costs in order to maintain our pricing levels. However, during this past year, we have experienced extraordinary price increases on energy and healthcare, which have had a direct negative impact on our costs for production, freight, packaging and labor. Unfortunately, we can no longer continue to absorb these escalating costs.

"This price increase is necessary to continue our long-term commitment to be a high quality, product innovator and provide the level of support and delivery logistics our customers expect," commented Daniel J. Moncino, Vice-President and General Manager of Imerys' North American Performance Minerals Division. Moncino added, "Imerys remains committed in our efforts to control costs and improve efficiencies and has proven this commitment through significant capital investments and focused restructuring."

Imerys is the world's leading producer of white industrial pigments. The Performance Minerals Division's portfolio of calcium carbonate and kaolin products are used in a wide variety of demanding, industrial applications such as paints, polymers, rubber, ceramics, adhesives, caulks, sealants and pharmaceuticals. For more information concerning Imerys' Performance Mineral Division, please visit www.imerys-perfmins.com.