Surface Chemisty: A Brief History

Much like AkzoNobel Global, Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC has a rich and interesting history, full of
innovations, acquisitions and mergers.

1920 - 1930s | Armour & Co., Chemical Division

Our roots begin in a major historical Midwestern industry: agriculture and animal husbandry.
As a rail transportation hub, Chicago was the center of the meatpacking industry, and Armour
& Co. was among the leading renderers at the famous Chicago Stock Yards.

1940s | Armour Industrial Chemical Co.

During this time, commercial procedures for making secondary amines and quaternary
ammonium salts were developed and the use of quaternary salts for fabric softening was
invented in the application laboratory.

Surface Chemistry

Surface Chemisty: A Brief History

1950s | Established Foreign Operations

A sales office was established in the Toronto followed by our plant at Saskatoon. A joint venture to
fractionate fatty acids and prepare nitrogen derivatives was made in 1959 with Dan Hess in England,
which was later wholly owned by Armour.

Another joint venture was made with Lion Fat and Oil in Japan known as Laco (Lion Akzo Company).

1960- 1970s | Acquisitions & Mergers

Kessler, a specialty ester manufacturer in Philadelphia, was bought in 1962. In 1969, Greyhound
acquired Armour, then spun off the chemical operation to Akzona.

Akzona (Akzo, North America) was formed with 55% ownership by Akzo (the Netherlands). The former
Armour Industrial Chemical division was renamed as Armak, a contraction of Armour and Akzona, at the
time of its sale to Akzona.
Surface Chemistry

Surface Chemisty: A Brief History

Continued
1973 | Morris Plant Launches

The Morris, IL plant started production. At its opening it was the largest manufacturing facility in the
world for the production of fattyalkyl nitrogen derivatives.

1980s | Akzo America Formed

Akzo bought all publicly held stock in Akzona, and Akzona became a wholly owned subsidiary of
Akzo, in September 1982. After several name changes, Akzo America became the new name for
the holding company.

In 1987, the purchase of the specialty chemicals division of Stauffer Chemical Co. by Akzo
America was announced.

About a year later Akzo Chemie America was reorganized into eight operating groups based on
market requirements, and the name was changed to Akzo Chemicals Inc.
Surface Chemistry

Surface Chemisty: A Brief History

Continued

1990s | Modern Changes

In 1994, Akzo merged with Nobel Industries, a diversified Swedish company with holdings in
amines, paint and building chemicals, coatings and paper chemicals among others. The non-coatings
businesses formed a new business unit - Surface Chemistry.

At this point, new Surface Chemistry headquarters were established in Stenungsund, Sweden.

Various sub-business units were formed to operate on a global basis: Cleaning and Care, Industrial
Surfactants, Paint and Building Additives and Fatty Acids and various niche businesses.

Surface Chemistry

Surface Chemisty: A Brief History

Continued
2000s | The New Millennia

In 2000, the Surfactants America organization became a separated legal entity called Akzo Nobel
Surface Chemistry LLC.

In 2003, Surfactants headquarters was moved from Stenungsund, Sweden to Chicago.

In 2008, AkzoNobel announced the purchase of ICI, which brought a new set of companies under the
AkzoNobel umbrella, making us the world leader in decorative coatings under this acquisition.

In 2008, AkzoNobel Surfactants changed its name to AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry.

Surface Chemistry