26 March 2008

Sasol Wax, the leading producer and marketer of synthetic and petroleum-derived wax, announced today that it has acquired the remaining 50% share of its North American joint venture Luxco Wax, turning it into a wholly owned Sasol Wax operation.

Luxco Wax, with a unique blending plant located in Richmond, California, is a leading supplier of wax specialties to a diverse group of industries, with particular strengths west of the Rocky Mountains. Sasol Wax has enjoyed a successful partnership in Luxco Wax since 1998.

This acquisition is a key part of a process to consolidate and focus Sasol Wax's holdings and position in the global market place. Apart from this acquisition, Sasol Wax sold its shares in two joint ventures in mid 2007 and earlier this year acquired the outstanding 50% share in Merkur, a former joint venture with Shell in Germany.

Merkur markets petroleum jelly into the personal care market and, like Luxco Wax, will be merged into Sasol Wax's global business.

"In line with Sasol's strategy to grow its energy as well as its chemical businesses, these divestments and acquisitions have enabled Sasol Wax to introduce its proprietary knowledge and technology into its new subsidiaries and to grow its market share," says Reiner Groh, group general manager Sasol Chemical Business Cluster.

"It is our strategy to focus on value added wax applications worldwide. We are advancing research to develop and grow our existing broad product portfolio significantly, while offering extensive product customization flexibility to meet customers' needs," says Sasol Wax MD Johan du Preez.

Sasol Wax last year benefited from a strong demand for specialties made of hard waxes manufactured at Sasolburg and its facilities in Germany and elsewhere. In line with projected growth in key markets the company plans to double the production capacity of synthetic wax at its Sasolburg plant in South Africa by 2013.

Specialty waxes are used amongst others, in emulsions, coatings, hot melt adhesives, inks and bitumen, in industries ranging from paper and packaging to construction, personal care, printing and tire production.

Sasol Wax is a 100% subsidiary of the South African company, Sasol Limited. It employs 1,100 people worldwide, with its head office in Hamburg, Germany. It has a number of manufacturing facilities in Europe, South Africa and now the USA. It has an annual consolidated turnover of € 600 million and is one of the world's leading producers and marketers of synthetic and petroleum derived waxes.