GRACE NAMES R&D MANAGER FOR CLOSURE SEALANTS BUSINESS WORLDWIDE

CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA, Jan. 22, 2007 – Grace Darex® Packaging Technologies announced today that John Griffiths has been promoted to Research & Development Manager-Closure Sealants Worldwide. He joins the Grace R&D organization after spending the past four years as Marketing Manager-Closure for Grace Darex.

In his new role, Griffiths will be responsible for leading the global Darex Closure R&D team to support current segments through technical support and product development, and also to develop new technology platforms and breakthrough products. Griffiths has been with the Grace Darex organization since 2003, serving as Marketing Manager for the Closures business where he led marketing efforts to develop new taste control solutions and growth products. Prior to joining Grace, he held Technical Engineering positions for Air Products plc in its UK and Pennsylvania operations. He holds an MBA from Katz Graduate School of Business – University of Pittsburgh and an MS in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College in London, England. “John's breadth of technical and marketing business experience is a great asset. His thought leadership, strategic thinking and energy have helped the Grace Darex team achieve strong sustainable growth and establish the company as the undisputed leader in taste control in packaging technologies. We look forward to his contribution in his new role as our Closure R&D leader,” said Robert Sorrentino, Vice President and General Manager, Grace Darex Packaging Technologies.

About Grace Darex Packaging Technologies

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Grace Darex Packaging Technologies, a strategic business of W.R Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA), is a leading supplier of can and closure sealants; coatings to the packaged food and beverage industry; and specialty polymers. For more than 80 years, Grace Darex has built a world-class reputation of total customer focus and innovative packaging solutions. Grace Darex Packaging Technologies operates worldwide in over 65 countries. To learn more about Grace Darex products and technologies, please visit www.gracedarex.com.

About Grace

Grace is a leading global supplier of catalysts and other products and services to petroleum refiners; catalysts for the manufacture of plastics; silica-based engineered and specialty materials for a wide-range of industrial applications; specialty chemicals, additives and materials for commercial and residential construction; and, sealants and coatings for food packaging. With annual sales of more than $2.2 billion, Grace has over 6,000 employees and operations in nearly 40 countries. For more information, visit Grace's web site at www.grace.com.