EXHIBIT 99.1

                  HERCULES UPDATES MERAKLON S.p.A. TRANSACTION


WILMINGTON, DE, DECEMBER 16, 2003 . . . Hercules Incorporated (NYSE: HPC) today
announced that the proposed acquisition of Meraklon S.p.A. through Hercules'
FiberVisions subsidiary in Denmark, previously announced in August, remains
pending, subject to German regulatory approval. Although the parties had
anticipated that the transaction would be completed by year-end, this will not
occur since the regulatory approval process is taking longer than expected. The
transaction continues to be actively pursued.

Meraklon is a closely held polypropylene fiber company with its principal
offices and production facilities in Terni, Italy.

                                      # # #

Hercules manufactures and markets chemical specialties globally for making a
variety of products for home, office and industrial markets. For more
information, visit the Hercules website at www.herc.com.

This news release includes forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, reflecting management's current
analysis and expectations, based on what management believes to be reasonable
assumptions. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results to differ
materially from those projected, stated or implied, depending on such factors
as: ability to generate cash, ability to raise capital, ability to refinance,
the result of the pursuit of strategic alternatives, ability to execute work
process redesign and reduce costs, business climate, business performance,
economic and competitive uncertainties, higher manufacturing costs, reduced
level of customer orders, changes in strategies, risks in developing new
products and technologies, environmental and safety regulations and clean-up
costs, foreign exchange rates, the impact of changes in the value of pension
fund assets and liabilities, changes in generally accepted accounting
principles, adverse legal and regulatory developments, including increases in
the number or financial exposures of claims, lawsuits, settlements or judgments,
or the inability to eliminate or reduce such financial exposures by collecting
indemnity payments from insurers, the impact of increased accruals and reserves
for such exposures, and adverse changes in economic and political climates
around the world, including terrorist activities and international hostilities.
Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Company will meet future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. As appropriate, additional factors are contained in
other reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This paragraph is included to provide safe harbor for forward-looking
statements, which are not generally required to be publicly revised as
circumstances change, and which the Company does not intend to update.

Media Contact:          John S. Riley         (302) 594-6025
Investor Contact:       Allen A. Spizzo       (302) 594-6491