PITTSBURGH, Feb. 15, 2002 -- Charlie Wilson joined Sybron Chemicals in Birmingham as a Crilicon Operator the day after Christmas in 1961. Little did he imagine the gift he would become to Sybron, a Bayer company since October 2000, during his forty-year tenure.

On February 20, Wilson joined eight colleagues at a dinner honoring them as charter members of the Sybron Quarter Century Safety Club. The Club was established to recognize employees with an outstanding safe work history. And these nine men certainly qualify. Taken together, they represent close to 280 years of skilled work without a recordable injury.

On hand to applaud their accomplishment were Sybron Vice President and General Manager Jay Richey; Birmingham Plant Manager Tom Nasife; Health, Environment and Safety Manager John McPeak; Manufacturing Fellow Lou Martin and Paula Polyak, Human Resources Manager. Senior officers from parent company Bayer Corporation include Heinz Heumueller, Executive Vice President, President, Industrial Chemicals and Sybron Chemicals President; and John Polhemus, Director of Safety and Industrial Hygiene.

"Safety is one of the pillars of Bayerâs Vision, Values and Beliefs," said Heumueller. "Our number one goal at Bayer, besides creating shareholder value, is protecting the safety and well-being of our employees. Bayer is proud to be recognized by the American Chemistry Council as the second safest large chemicals company in the United States.

"These men walk the talk. They illustrate Bayerâs vision of safety. They make that vision a reality," Heumueller said.

Joining Wilson are Stan Ziarkowski, Louis Macellari, Sr., Joseph Mazzilli, Gary Horner, Robin Mosher, Nathan Williams, Ronald Gilbert and Patrick Richards. Like Wilson, Ziarkowski, Macellari, Mazzilli, Mosher, Gilbert and Richards also have perfect safety records from the first year of their employment with Sybron. The last time one of these men sustained an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injury was September 2, 1972.

Wilson also claims perfect attendance in 1997, 1999 and 2000. Among the positions he has worked in the past 40 years are Organics Operator, Chief Chemical Operator and, since 1985, Materials Handler.

Ziarkowski joined Sybron as a Technical Specialist on November 11, 1966. He held positions of increasing responsibility as a Product Manager, Regional Industrial Manager and Applications Chemist and was named Vice President Household IX in 1986. He received the Water Quality Association Award of Merit in 1993, the Reagents Award in 1997 and was named to the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Macellari, Mazzilli, Mosher and Gilbert also recorded years of perfect attendance during their tenure with Sybron. Macellari joined Sybron on February 2, 1970, as a Class A Mechanic. He had perfect attendance in 1993, 1997, 1999 and 2000. His son, Louis, also works for Sybron as a laborer. Mazelli had perfect attendance in 1985, 1986 and 1988 after joining Sybron in production management on February 6, 1970.

Mosher has held various positions since joining the company on March 19, 1973, as a Chemical Operator. Now a Q Polymer Operator, he covers his shift seven days a week with perfect attendance for the last three years and in 1995 and 1996 as well. Mosher has been a member of the Pemberton Borough Council since 1986 and formerly served on the Board of Education and as Police Commissioner.

Positions Gilbert has held since joining Sybron on April 29, 1974, include Utility Operator and Anion Operator for18 years prior to taking a position as Q Polymer Operator in 1999. Like Mosher, he covers his shift seven days a week . He had perfect attendance in 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2001.

Williams and Horner both have held several positions with Sybron, Williams as a Class 2 Chemical Operator and Class A Mechanic and Horner as a Resin Treatment Operator, Sulfonator Operator, Toner Polymer Operator, Maintenance Mechanic C Class and since 1994 as a Shipper.

Richards served as a Neutralizer Operator for 18 years after joining Sybron on July 7, 1976. Since 1994 he has worked as a Polymer Operator. Richards is a member of the Hope Hose Fire Company No. 2 in Beverly, and was Fire Chief for four years. His four sons, all police officers in either New York City or New Jersey, and his daughter are also members of the Hope Hose Fire Company.

Sybron employs 142 people at its Birmingham, N.J. facility. The company has been part of Bayer Corporation since October 23, 2000. Bayer has been recognized for two years in a row by the American Chemistry Council as the second safest large chemical company in the United States.

Best known for its flagship product, Bayer Aspirin, Bayer Corporation produces a broad range of health care, life sciences and chemical products that help diagnose and treat diseases, purify water, preserve local landmarks, protect crops, advance automobile safety and durability and improve peopleâs lives.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Bayer Corporation had sales of $10.1 billion in 2000 and is one of Fortune magazineâs Most Admired Companies. The company employs 23,200 people. It is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $29 billion international health care and chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany. The Bayer Group stock is a component of the DAX and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: BAY).

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements that include words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect" or similar formulations. This forward-looking information contains known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could adversely affect our businesses or lead the actual results, including the financial situation and profitability of our company or of the industries in which we compete, to differ materially from those expressly or implicitly assumed in this forward-looking information. We assume no liability whatsoever to update this forward-looking information or to conform such statements to future events or developments apart from any obligations stipulated by applicable law.