Regulatory Approval

Johnson Matthey PLC
31 January 2008










              For immediate release on Thursday 31st January 2008



  Johnson Matthey Receives German Regulatory Approval of Argillon Acquisition



Johnson Matthey announced on 10th December 2007 that it had signed an agreement
to buy Argillon Group for €214 million in cash from Ceramics Luxembourg 2(f) S.a
r.l., a company owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. funds, and that the
transaction was conditional upon competition clearance in Germany.



Johnson Matthey has now received competition clearance for the acquisition from
the German Federal Cartel Office.



This means that the acquisition is expected to be completed on Wednesday 6th
February 2008.



Enquiries:



Ian Godwin       Director, IR and Corporate Communications       020 7269 8410

John Sheldrick   Group Finance Director                          020 7269 8408

David Morgan     Executive Director, Group Corporate Development 020 7269 8454

Howard Lee       The HeadLand Consultancy                        020 7367 5225



www.matthey.com




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