Bayer Hydrazine Customers Can Now Purchase Direct-from-Manufacturer

PITTSBURGH, October 16, 1999 - After successfully manufacturing and selling hydrazine for over 100 years, Bayer Corporation today announced a new sales strategy that enables end users to purchase hydrazine water treatment chemicals direct-from-manufacturer.

Bayer is one of the world's largest producers of hydrazine, a process chemical utilized for water treatment in the nuclear, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. With its vast technology and service resources, Bayer is strategically positioned to enhance customer service and reduce costs through its new sales strategy.

According to Charles E. Fluharty, Business Unit Manager, Ion Exchange Resins and Water Treatment Chemicals, "Bayer has the manufacturing and customer service capacity to fill orders quickly," said Fluharty. "We maintain bulk storage so delivery time and customer supply chain expenses are significantly reduced. We also have a staff of technical consultants who are readily available to support hydrazine customers and respond quickly to their product requirements. Customers will receive the product quality and service resources of a large corporation like Bayer without sacrificing the personal relationships usually developed with smaller companies."

The new direct sales approach also enables Bayer to better manage ordering, production and delivery through the Bayer-owned and operated large tote fleet, which helps ensure that hydrazine is delivered to customers on time and safely. Bayer's hydrazine is ISO 9002-certified, produced in full compliance with nuclear industry specifications, and includes molar balanced hydrazine.

Coupled with its new sales approach for hydrazine, Bayer is also initiating a new sales strategy for its other water treatment products through e-commerce. Working with Chemdex, an online agency, Bayer's water treatment products - including hydrazine, Bayhibit®, and Lewatit® ion exchange resins - are now available for sale via the Internet with a credit card or procurement card.

In addition to providing customers with the option of purchasing hydrazine and other water treatment chemicals via e-commerce, Bayer provides a range of other purchasing resources for its hydrazine customers. Bayer's Vendor Management Inventory (VMI) program, customized Certificates of Analysis (COAs), and Bayer Financial Services - which provides leasing capital for chemical projects - combine to give customers exceptional purchasing flexibility.

Bayer Corporation, which holds the hydrazine chair position in the Chemical Manufacturer's Association, also provides its customers with a variety of environmental protection and safety resources, including plant safety audits, technical training and 24-hour emergency service.

Bayer is also an active participant in the Responsible Care® initiative, furthering its commitment to environmental protection and safety. Information pertaining to health and safety can be found in the product's material safety data sheet (MSDS) or by contacting Bayer Corporation's product safety department at (412) 777-2000.

For more information Bayer's water treatment products and ion exchange resins, contact: Bayer Corporation, Industrial Chemicals Communications, 100 Bayer Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15205; (800) 662-2927 ext. 5688; FAX (412) 777-3899. Or, visit the Bayer hydrazine Web site at www.hydrazinehydrate.com. For information on Bayer Corporation, visit www.bayerus.com.

Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major businesses in health care and life sciences and chemicals. The company had 1998 sales of $8.1 billion and employs more than 23,000 people. Bayer Corporation is investing $15 billion in capital expenditures and research and development from 1995 through the year 2004. 1999 capital investment and R&D expenditures are projected to total $1.6 billion. Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in Pittsburgh, is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $31 billion chemicals and health care group based in Leverkusen, Germany.

Contact: William Allan
Industrial Chemicals Division
Media Line: (412) 777-2500
Fax: (412) 777-3899
bill.allan.b@bayer.com
www.bayerus.com