Bayer MaterialScience Employees in Baytown, Texas, Continue to Aid Hurricane Katrina Evacuees; Workers Providing Around-the-Clock Support at Area Shelters - Food, Water, Clothing, Medicines, Medical Equipment and Other Supplies

Business Wire, Sept 9, 2005

PITTSBURGH -- Bayer MaterialScience LLC employees continue to provide around-the-clock aid to evacuees temporarily housed at area shelters in Baytown, Texas.

"Since the evacuees of the hardest hit Gulf Coast communities arrived at shelters earlier this week, several hundred Bayer MaterialScience employees and their families have worked tirelessly to help those in need," said John Rocco, plant manager at Bayer MaterialScience's Baytown, Texas, facility.

Bayer MaterialScience's Baytown employees held donation collections to raise money to help the evacuees and have continued to provide hot meals, water, clothing, medicines, medical equipment and other much-needed supplies to area shelters, including:

--Breakfasts to approximately 300 people at the Baytown Civic Center and for 250 people at the Mont Belvieu shelter;

--Cots and mattresses and other supplies for about 150 people at the Anahuac White Park shelter;

--Dinners for about 150 people at the Cedar Bayou Community Center and for 200 people at Baytown's Living Hope Church;

--School supplies for the children at the Cedar Bayou Community Center;

--"Bayer Care" bags which included Bayer(R) Aspirin and Aleve(R), coloring books and crayons, as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste, washcloths, soap, razors and hand sanitizer to the Memorial Baptist shelter; and

--Spending cards to help with groceries, hotel bills and other needed supplies.

In addition to these efforts, Bayer MaterialScience is supplying its Makrolon(R) polycarbonate (a high-tech plastic material) to Premium Plastics of Latrobe, Pa., to produce approximately 9,000 five-gallon water bottles. The bottles will be delivered to Primo Water Corporation of Winston-Salem, N.C., where they will be filled and delivered to areas in need within the Gulf Coast.

"We wanted to help those affected by this terrible tragedy," said Carlos Gonzalez, market manager at Bayer MaterialScience LLC. "Providing free material to help produce water bottles is the least we could do. Like other Bayer businesses across the U.S., we're just glad we can help."

Bayer Businesses Across the United States Continue to Provide Support

Bayer employees, Bayer Corporation and the Bayer Foundation are continuing to respond to the ongoing, urgent need for cash and product donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. Bayer's response is wide-ranging - a reflection of the company's diverse product portfolio.

Bayer employees are strongly supporting Hurricane Katrina relief, having donated more than $130,000 to date. The Bayer Foundation is matching Bayer employee donations dollar for dollar, and the money is being donated to the American Red Cross.

Bayer HealthCare Diabetes Care Division is providing more than 45,000 Ascensia(R) BRIO(R) blood glucose monitors and enough Ascensia(R) EASYFILL(R) test strips for 45,000 people with diabetes to test for approximately one month at the recommended American Diabetes Association guideline level. Bayer's Baytown site has served as the distribution hub in support of area shelters.

Bayer HealthCare also announced that its Consumer Care Division has pledged more than 6,000 cases of various over-the-counter products to those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Specifically, Bayer is donating Bayer Aspirin and Aleve, One-A-Day(R) and Flintstones(R) vitamins, Bactine(R) and Alka-Seltzer Plus(R).

Furthermore, Bayer HealthCare's Animal Health Division announced the donation of veterinary medicines that will help improve the health of animals - livestock and companion animals - also impacted by the hurricane. These products include Baytril(R) 100 antibiotic for cattle; Baytril(R) Otic antibiotic for treating ear infections in companion animals; Baytril(R) tabs, an antibiotic for upper respiratory/skin infections; Drontal(R) dewormer for companion animals; Advantage(R) flea control for dogs and cats; and K9 Advantix(TM) flea, tick and mosquito control for dogs.

Bayer MaterialScience LLC

Bayer MaterialScience, with NAFTA operations headquarters in Pittsburgh, is a global leader in key growth markets serving the automotive, comfort, engineering thermoplastics, insulation, coatings, adhesives and sealants industries. Bayer MaterialScience's key products include polyurethanes, polycarbonates, thermoplastic polyurethanes and coating raw materials. The Pittsburgh operations include the group's NAFTA research and development activities, the Americas Technical Center and the Future Business Group.

Bayer HealthCare Consumer Care Division

Bayer Consumer Care, headquartered in Morristown, N.J., is among the largest marketers of over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements in the world. Its product portfolio includes the company's flagship brand Bayer(R) Aspirin, Aleve(R), Phillips'(R) Milk of Magnesia, Midol(R), Alka-Seltzer(R), Bactine(R) and One-A-Day(R) and Flintstones(R) vitamins.

Bayer HealthCare Animal Health Division

Bayer Animal Health, with U.S. headquarters in Shawnee, Kan., develops, manufactures and distributes veterinary products that enhance and maintain the health of companion animals and livestock. Leading products include Advantage(R) topical solution for flea control in dogs and cats, K-9 Advantix(R) for flea, tick and mosquito control in dogs, and the Baytril(R) family of antibiotics approved for use in dogs, cats, cattle and poultry.