DuPont Acquires Antec International;
Strengthens Position as a Leading Supplier of Biosecurity Materials

WILMINGTON, Del. and SUFFOLK, England,  October 08, 2003  —  DuPont today announced its acquisition of Antec International, a leading biosecurity company providing human and animal health emergency disease control. Antec products are used throughout the world to protect food supplies from viruses such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and the public from illness-causing germs such as the Norwalk-like virus that impacted the cruise ship industry last winter. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"This acquisition is a strategic fit for DuPont, building on our expertise in cleaning and disinfecting solutions that protect people, operations and the global food chain from the potential spread of virus and disease," said DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise Vice President and General Manager Nick C. Fanandakis. "We will continue to develop and strengthen the suite of biosecurity solutions produced by Antec while providing DuPont scientific innovations that further develop this important class of cleaning and disinfecting agents as part of our growing Clean & Disinfect business."

DuPont has been a supplier of the active ingredient in many Antec products for over 15 years. In 2001, DuPont and Antec joined forces to provide additional supplies of one of Antec's premier products – Virkon® S – to over 100 countries during the height of the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak. Antec products are used not only to attack disease outbreaks but also as a preventative agent, preventing infection before it starts.

"Our strong relationship with DuPont spans the past 15 years and is built upon our shared common goal – to protect the global environment from the threat of disease," said Antec International Chief Executive Ralph Auchincloss. "Our broad range of effective products are tailored to specific disease challenges and conditions. They also are effective against new and emerging pathogens, yet are friendly to man, animals and the environment. With DuPont's strength in science and innovation and its global access to market, we view this as the next logical step for the growth of this business."

UK-based Antec International has biosecurity sales in over 100 countries and a broad range of safe, yet highly effective market-leading disinfection and cleansing agents including Virkon® S and Biosolve®. These products have been independently proven in field trials and government laboratories to be among the most effective biosecurity and biodefense agents against virulent organisms.

Antec will be integrated into DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise, which is part of the DuPont Safety & Protection (DSP) growth platform. The DSP business segment generates annual revenues of more than $4.0 billion and encompasses more than 8,000 people in 21 plants and laboratories.

DuPont Safety & Protection is focused on finding solutions to protect people, property, operations and the environment by leveraging and expanding the over 200 years of experience DuPont has as one of the safest companies in the world; its recognized excellence in science and technology; and its knowledge of key markets. DuPont is dedicated to using its science and technology to provide environmentally responsible clean and disinfect technologies for prevention of disease and improving productivity in the food, healthcare, household, institutional and industrial markets.

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by solving problems and creating solutions that make people's lives better, safer and easier. Operating in more than 70 countries, the company offers a wide range of products and services to markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

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10/08/03

Virkon® S and Biosolve® are registered trademarks of Antec International. For more information, visit www.dupont.com or www.antecint.com