8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 21, 2006 (March 20, 2006)

ALBEMARLE CORPORATION

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

Virginia	1-12658	54-1692118
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission file number)	(IRS employer identification no.)

330 South Fourth Street, Richmond, Virginia	23219
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (804) 788-6000

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Section 8 — Other Events

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On March 20, 2006, Albemarle Corporation (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing, among other things, that an arbitral tribunal has ruled in favor of Albemarle France SAS and Albemarle PPC, wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company, in the action brought by them against Sanofi-Aventis before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, in Paris, France, concerning certain environmental matters at Albemarle PPC’s site in Thann, France.

Section 9 — Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01. Financial Statement and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits.

99.1 Press release, dated March 20, 2006, issued by the Company.

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: March 21, 2006

ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
By:	/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV
	Luther C. Kissam, IV
	Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Exhibit
99.1	Press release, dated March 20,2006, issued by the Company.

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Press Release

Albemarle Announces Favorable Arbitration Ruling Concerning Facility in Thann, France

RICHMOND, Virginia—March 20, 2006—Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) announced today that the arbitral tribunal has ruled in favor of Albemarle France SAS and Albemarle PPC, wholly owned affiliates of Albemarle Corporation, in the action brought by them against Sanofi-Aventis before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), in Paris, France concerning certain environmental matters at Albemarle PPC’s site in Thann, France.

In 1992, Albemarle France SAS purchased 100 percent of the stock of the company that is now known as Albemarle PPC from Rhone-Poulenc SA, the predecessor-in-interest to Sanofi-Aventis. In the purchase agreement, Sanofi-Aventis retained liability for and indemnified Albemarle France SAS and its affiliates against costs associated with certain environmental liabilities at the site. The arbitral tribunal upheld Albemarle France SAS’s position that the obligations of the contract, including those dealing with Sanofi-Aventis’ liability related to mercury remediation and decontamination at the site, are enforceable.

“We are pleased that the arbitrators affirmed our position that Sanofi-Aventis is obligated to comply with the terms of our original agreement,” said Lloyd Crasto, President of Albemarle PPC. “We will take this ruling into consideration as we continue to review our options for addressing the operational and financial challenges that the Thann facility faces.”

Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, is a leading global developer, manufacturer and marketer of bromine, bromine derivatives, and other highly engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics; petroleum and petrochemical processing; transportation and industrial products; pharmaceuticals; agricultural products; and construction and packaging materials. The Company operates in three business segments—Polymer Additives, Catalysts and Fine Chemicals, and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Learn more about Albemarle at http://www.albemarle.com.

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For more information:

Albemarle Corporation, Mr. Stéphane Leclef at +32 475 63 02 27 or stephane_leclef@albemarle.com or Mr. Carson Greer at +1 804 788 6092 or carson_greer@albemarle.com

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business which are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Albemarle Corporation

330 South Fourth Street

Richmond, Virginia, USA

Tel: +1 804 788 6096