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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


                 STERLING CHEMICALS ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGE

         HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Sterling Chemicals Holdings, Inc. (STXX) today
announced that Gary M. Spitz resigned as Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, effective March 21, 2001, and that the board of directors
elected Paul G. Vanderhoven to succeed him. Mr. Vanderhoven, currently Vice
President-Finance and Controller, has served in positions of increasing
responsibility since joining Sterling (or its predecessor) in 1977.

         Commenting on the announcement, Frank P. Diassi, Chairman of the Board,
said, "We are very fortunate to have Paul Vanderhoven's experience and caliber
to manage and lead Sterling's financial affairs. Paul is ideally suited to the
job, with over 24 years of experience in various financial positions in the
petrochemicals industry including 18 years with our Texas City, Texas facility.
The promotion recognizes the many contributions and achievements made by Paul
over the years."

         Based in Houston, Texas, Sterling Chemicals Holdings, Inc. is a holding
company that, through its operating subsidiaries, manufactures petrochemicals,
acrylic fibers and pulp chemicals and provides large-scale chlorine dioxide
generators to the pulp and paper industry. The Company has a petrochemical plant
in Texas City, Texas; an acrylic fibers plant in Santa Rosa, Florida; and pulp
chemical plants in five Canadian locations and one U.S. site.

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The information in this news release relating to matters that are not historical
facts constitutes forward-looking information covered by the safe harbor created
by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking information is based upon current
information and expectations regarding Sterling and its subsidiaries. The
estimates, forecasts and statements contained in or implied by the
forward-looking information speak only as of the date on which they are made,
are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks,
uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to evaluate and predict.
Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is
expressed, implied or forecasted by or in the forward-looking information.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what
is expressed, implied or forecasted by or in the forward-looking information
include the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices and global economic
conditions, industry production capacity and operating rates, the supply-demand
balance for Sterling's products, competitive products and pricing pressures,
increases in raw material costs, federal and state regulatory developments,
Sterling's high financial leverage, the availability of skilled personnel and
operating hazards attendant to the industry, as well as the other risk factors
discussed in Sterling's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including Sterling's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q. Sterling assumes no obligation to update the information contained in this
press release.


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