Cabot announces JV with China’s Bluestar

Cabot Corporation has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Cabot
(China) Ltd., has signed a joint venture agreement with Bluestar New
Chemical Materials Co., Ltd., a part of the China National Bluestar Group,
to manufacture fumed silica in China. The new company will operate under the
name Cabot Bluestar Chemical (Jiangxi) Company Ltd. Cabot will own 90
percent of the venture and Bluestar will own the remaining ten percent. The
agreement was signed following a ceremony in China’s Great Hall of the
People.

Cabot Bluestar Chemical Company will invest approximately 30 million US
dollars to build China’s first world class, fumed silica manufacturing
facility to be located near Nanchang, in Jiangxi province. Construction of
the plant is expected to begin in spring 2004 and be completed in late 2005.