Third quarter 2008 results News release

Paris, November 6, 2008

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Third quarter 2008 results

Rhodia confirms its strong pricing power

and full year objectives

Key highlights

· Another quarter of strong pricing power: +14% fully offsetting record raw material and energy inflation as well as a negative forex impact

· Good level of demand across businesses compensating for first signs of slowdown in Polyamide

· Recurring EBITDA⁽¹⁾ at €168 million driven by strong performance in Novecare, Silcea, Eco Services and Acetow

· Net Profit Group Share up 24% year-on-year to €56 million

· Net Debt reduction reflecting completion of Isocyanates divestment

· Long-dated maturity financial resources

· Confirmation of 2008 guidance

“In the third quarter, Rhodia confirmed once again its strong pricing power which allowed the Group to offset not only record raw material and energy cost increases, but also the negative foreign exchange impact," commented Rhodia Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jean-Pierre Clamadieu.

“We are continuously deliveringon our commitments.Our leading competitive positions supported by our focused portfolio strategy, our balanced geographical presence, the diversity of the markets we serve and our healthy financials, give us confidence in the potential of our businesses going forward. We therefore confirm our 2008 financial objectives."

Summary income statement

(1) Before restructuring and other operating income and expenses

(2) Like for like: at constant scope and currency conversion

(3) Defined as “net cash provided by operating activities” before margin call plus “non recurring refinancing cash costs” minus Capital Expenditure

1. Strong pricing fully offset cost rises and negative transactional forex impact

Net Sales rose by 6.3%⁽¹⁾ to €1,224 million, driven by a 13.7% positive impact from price increases in local currencies. A sustained good level of demand was registered across businesses compensating for first signs of slowdown in Polyamide. As anticipated, volumes were also affected by Q3-Q4 CER phasing. The transactional foreign exchange impact was (2.6)%.

RecurringEBITDA⁽¹⁾ stood at €168 million versus €174 million in Q3 2007. The (3.4)% decline was mainly due to volume phasing impact of CERs, while negative effect from lower volumes in Polyamide were mostly offset by good performance in other Enterprises, particularly Novecare. Price increases of €158 million fully offset both a €(139) million increase in raw material and energy costs as well as a transactional foreign exchange impact of €(17) million. Fixed costs were under control and decreased by €9 million.

Operating Profit⁽¹⁾ amounted to €87 million versus €104 million in the third quarter of 2007, essentially reflecting the change in recurring EBITDA.

The Financial Result was stable at €(44) million compared to the third quarter 2007.

The Net Profit Group Share increased 24% from €45 million in the third quarter of 2007 to €56 million in the third quarter of 2008, reflecting the capital gains from the Isocyanates divestment.

Earnings per Share rose 25% to €0.55 from €0.44 a year earlier.

(1) Like for like: at constant scope and currency conversion

2.Free Cash Flow affected by temporarily negative Working Capital variance

Working Capital stood at 14.6% of total sales versus 13.6% a year earlier. The €87 million increase in Working Capital versus the end of the second quarter of 2008 can be attributed to the strong price rises impacting both receivables and inventories, as well as the continued effect of the deployment of the SAP based system in Rhodia’s USA operations which should be normalized by end of 2008.

Due to the continuous selective investment policy, Capital Expenditure decreased from €83 million in the third quarter of 2007 to €71 million in the third quarter of 2008.

The temporary increase in Working Capital weighed on the Free Cash Flow, which amounted to

€(69) million.

Consolidated Net Debt decreased to €1,451 million on September 30, 2008 versus €1,570 million on June 30, 2008, benefiting from €224 million of proceeds from divestments completed in the third quarter of 2008.

3. Overview by Enterprise

Polyamide

Rhodia Polyamide serves the automotive, electricals, electronic components, sportswear and leisure markets. Its expertise in the polyamide chain has allowed it to develop activities upstream in intermediates and polymers and downstream in engineering plastics.

Rhodia Polyamide continued its price-over-volume strategy. While volumes in Europe were impacted by the slowdown in the automotive and textile markets, the Enterprise implemented further price increase initiatives: those offset close to 90 % of rises in raw material and energy costs, in particular for Butadiene. US competitors holding available volumes due to the slowdown in their domestic market benefited from favorable currency and natural gas costs.

The decline in the US Dollar against the Brazilian Real and the Euro led to a negative transactional forex impact of €(11) million year-on-year.

In October, Rhodia Polyamide launched plans to optimize its European production and research & development resources, as first step of a broader program aimed at cutting costs by about €40 million per year by 2010.

Novecare

Rhodia Novecare provides high-performance products and solutions to a wide range of industries including cosmetics, detergents, agrochemicals and oil, as well as industrial applications.

Rhodia Novecare, nearly doubled its EBITDA year-on-year. This record quarter reflects the Enterprise’s reinforced pricing power and a strong growth momentum in the oilfield and agro markets.

Silcea

Rhodia Silcea produces high performance silicas, rare earth-based materials and diphenols to serve the automotive emissions reduction, tire, lighting, electronics, flavours & fragrances markets.

Rhodia Silcea registered overall good volumes. This was particularly true for silicas for low rolling resistance tires. The Enterprise demonstrated that its pricing power could offset most raw material and energy cost increases.

Silcea was impacted by a €(2) million negative transactional forex effect.

Energy Services

Rhodia Energy Services is in charge of the Group’s energy supply and the management of Rhodia’s projects related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon Emission Reduction (CER) sales reflected the expected Q3-Q4 phasing. Recurring EBITDA of €28 million was generated from CERs, versus €39 million in the third quarter of 2007.

The cogeneration business is traditionally slow in the third quarter.

Rhodia expects to generate slightly more than 13 million tons of CERs for the full year 2008.

Acetow

Rhodia Acetow is a global producer of filter tow, mainly used for making cigarette filters.

Rhodia Acetow was able to increase its selling prices and thus, offset rises in raw material and energy costs.

Acetow confirms its target to decrease its forex transactional exposure by 50 % by the end of 2008.

The Enterprise’s ongoing cost competitiveness program, launched in the fourth quarter of 2007, has also started to record progress.

Eco Services

Rhodia Eco Services offers sulphuric acid regeneration services to chemical manufacturers and oil refiners in North America.

Rhodia Eco Services enjoyed good pricing power. This allowed the Enterprise to offset the €(5) million impact on EBITDA resulting from the hurricanes in the USA. The non cash negative forex conversion impact amounted to €(3) million.

In the coming months, Rhodia Eco Services’ strong pricing power should continue.

4. Outlook

The Group is pro-actively adjusting to the challenging economic environment with aggressive cost competitiveness plans and a strong focus on cash management.

Combined with those actions, its performance year-to-date and the proven resilience of its portfolio allow the Group to confirm its 2008 full year objectives:

· Recurring EBITDA should be within 5% of the level achieved in 2007

· Earnings per Share should increase versus 2007

· Net Debt should be further reduced compared to the end of 2007, supported by a solid Free Cash Flow generation in the fourth quarter of 2008.

After the massive impact of raw material and energy inflation as well as adverse currency fluctuations on the Group’s EBITDA over the last nine months, Rhodia is observing a favorable inflexion point at the end of the third quarter 2008. This structurally positive effect should gradually materialize in the Group’s accounts, starting early 2009.

Safe Harbor for forward looking statements

This press release contains elements that are not historical facts including, without limitation, certain statements on future expectations and other forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated.

Rhodiais an international chemical company resolutely committed to sustainable development.As a leader in its businesses, the Group aims to improve its customers’ performance through the pursuit of operational excellence and its ability to innovate. Structured around six Enterprises, Rhodia is the partner of major players in the automotive, tire, electronics, perfume, health & beauty and home care markets.The Group employs around 15,000 people worldwide and generated sales of €4.8billion in 2007.Rhodia is listed on Euronext Paris.

Upcoming events

Rhodia’s fourth quarter and annual 2008 results will be published onFebruary 25, 2009.

Contacts

Media Relations

Rita Hillig +33 (0)1 53 56 64 04

Lamia Narcisse +33 (0)1 53 56 59 62



Investor Relations

Maria Alcon +33 (0)1 53 56 64 89

Loic Harrari +33 (0)1 53 56 64 80

Results Fact Sheet : Q3 & YTD Sept '08

(1) Recurring EBITDA margin excluding CERs 11.8% vs 12.4% in Q3 ‘07 and 12.1% vs 13.6% in YTD Sept ‘07

⁽¹⁾ including intercompany sales elimination

* Unaudited

Results Fact Sheet : Q3 ‘08

* Unaudited

Results Fact Sheet : YTD Sept ‘08