Innospec Inc. Wins Major Patent Dispute

Innospec Inc. (NYSE: IOP) today announced that one of
its subsidiaries in the UK, The Associated Octel Company Limited, has
achieved a notable victory in its long-running invalidity action
against an important patent owned by Infineum USA LP.
   In a final decision, the Technical Board of Appeal of the European
Patent Office (EPO) agreed with Innospec and three other opponents
that the patent (EP 0743974) was not inventive, and ordered it to be
revoked. The decision revokes not only the United Kingdom Patent, but
the equivalent patent in all European countries where it was in force
through grant by the EPO.
   Infineum's patent, which covered the use in low sulphur diesel
fuel of a combination of ester-based lubricity enhancers with EVA cold
flow improvers, was granted in 2000, and had been the subject of
proceedings to revoke it for more than 5 years.
   This latest success completes a series of similar actions that
have been concluded in the past year, the overall result of which has
been to open up the field of diesel additives, and give customers much
less restricted choice. Innospec and the same three other opponents as
noted above also opposed European Patent EP 0743972 owned by Infineum
covering the use in diesel fuel of a combination of polar nitrogen
compounds and ester lubricity enhancers, arguing, as last week, that
it was not inventive: the Board of Appeal agreed, and revoked the
patent. Similarly, Infineum's EP 0764198, covering a combination of
polar nitrogen compounds and EVA was also revoked for lack of
inventive step. The major part of yet another patent owned by
Infineum, EP 0807155, which was for diesel fuel containing succinimide
detergents and ester lubricity enhancers, was also revoked by the EPO
last November following proceedings brought by two opponents,
including Innospec.
   Patent attorneys Appleyard Lees worked with a team of specialist
patent litigators from Addleshaw Goddard to help Innospec achieve its
latest success.
   A spokesperson for Innospec stated, "As an innovator and owner of
substantial intellectual property, we respect patents owned by others.
However, we remain fully committed to taking action to defend the
right of customers to choose to purchase Innospec's products when we
believe they are unfairly prevented from doing so. Customers will now
be free to use Innospec's lubricity additives free from the risk of
being sued for infringement of these invalid patents."

   About Innospec Inc.

   Innospec Inc. is an international specialty chemical company with
almost 1,000 employees in 23 countries. Innospec divides its
operations into three distinct business areas: Fuel Specialties,
Performance Chemicals, and Octane Additives. Together, the three
businesses manufacture and supply a wide range of specialty chemicals
to markets in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and
Asia-Pacific. Innospec's Fuel Specialties business specialises in
manufacturing and supplying the fuel additives that help improve fuel
efficiency, boost engine performance and reduce harmful emissions.
Innospec's Performance Chemicals business includes a range of
companies that manufacture performance chemicals used in the
manufacture of such items as personal care products, household
detergents, crop protection chemicals as well as in the plastics,
paper and fungicides and in the metal plating and oil industries.
Innospec's Octane Additives business is the world's only producer of
tetra ethyl lead (TEL). The management team has a clear strategy in
place to ensure the Company maximizes shareholder value from TEL
supply while monitoring and reducing production in line with global
demand.