Holland Sweetener Company VoF (HSC) has today announced its decision to withdraw from the aspartame business, including Twinsweet. HSC is a 50/50 joint venture between Royal DSM N.V. (the Netherlands) and Tosoh Corporation (Japan). The company will terminate its activities at the end of 2006 and as a consequence will discontinue the production of aspartame in the fourth quarter of 2006.

The global aspartame markets are facing structural oversupply, which has caused worldwide strong price erosion over the last 5 years. This has resulted in a persistently unprofitable business position for HSC. No significant improvements are expected in the near or foreseeable future.

The termination of HSC’s business operations will affect around 100 jobs on the DSM site in Geleen (the Netherlands). DSM expects to be able to re-assign the majority of these people to other positions. The social plan of DSM Limburg is applicable.

ENDS

Holland Sweetener Company (HSC) is a 50/50 joint venture between DSM (the Netherlands) and Tosoh (Japan) established in 1985. A unique aspartame process was developed using technology from both parents. In 1988, the first aspartame production unit was started up in the Netherlands, with subsequent expansions making HSC the largest aspartame producer in Europe. HSC supplies customers all over the world from its plant in the Netherlands via a global network of sales offices, agents and distributors.

Twinsweet™ was discovered in 1995 as part of a research program to develop aspartame-based new sweetener concepts for the food and nutraceutical industries. HSC has filed several patents on the Twinsweet™ product, the production process and the use of the product. More information about HSC can be found at www.hollandsweetener.com.

For further information, please contact: Annet Hoek, Holland Sweetener Company,
Koestraat 1, 6167 RA Geleen, NL Tel: +31 46 4764065, Fax: +31 46 4764066
E-mail: annet.hoek@dsm.com