<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000915913-18-000008.txt : 20180301
<SEC-HEADER>0000915913-18-000008.hdr.sgml : 20180301
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20180301165052
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000915913-18-000008
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20180223
ITEM INFORMATION:		Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
FILED AS OF DATE:		20180301
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20180301

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ALBEMARLE CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000915913
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PLASTICS, MATERIALS, SYNTH RESINS & NONVULCAN ELASTOMERS [2821]
		IRS NUMBER:				541692118
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			VA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-12658
		FILM NUMBER:		18658281

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4350 CONGRESS STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 700
		CITY:			CHARLOTTE
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			28209
		BUSINESS PHONE:		980-299-5700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4350 CONGRESS STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 700
		CITY:			CHARLOTTE
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			28209

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ECHEM INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19931208
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a32188-kdocument.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
<TEXT>
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<div><a name="s19578726EEA2E89EF2FEC074BC87A653"></a></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><div><br></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:6px;text-align:center;font-size:16pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:16pt;font-weight:bold;">UNITED STATES</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:16pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:16pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">_________________________________</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:center;font-size:16pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:16pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM 8-K</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">_________________________________</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">CURRENT REPORT</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) February 23, 2018</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">_________________________________</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:center;font-size:16pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:16pt;font-weight:bold;">ALBEMARLE CORPORATION</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">_________________________________</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><div style="padding-left:0px;text-indent:0px;line-height:normal;padding-top:10px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;"><tr><td colspan="5"></td></tr><tr><td style="width:34%;"></td><td style="width:1%;"></td><td style="width:32%;"></td><td style="width:1%;"></td><td style="width:32%;"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Virginia</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">001-12658</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">54-1692118</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">(State or other jurisdiction</font></div><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">of incorporation)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">(Commission</font></div><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">file number)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">(IRS employer</font></div><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">identification no.)</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:17px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:17px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:17px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:17px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:17px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">4350 Congress Street, Suite 700, Charlotte, North Carolina</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">28209</font></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">(Address of principal executive offices)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">(Zip code)</font></div></td></tr></table></div></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:12px;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number, including area code</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">(980) 299-5700</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:12px;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Not applicable</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">_________________________________</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">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):</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Wingdings;font-size:10pt;">&#168;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#32;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Wingdings;font-size:10pt;">&#168;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#32;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a- 12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Wingdings;font-size:10pt;">&#168;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#32;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Wingdings;font-size:10pt;">&#168;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#32;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:12px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR 240.12b-2)</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><div style="padding-left:0px;text-indent:0px;line-height:normal;padding-top:10px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;width:76.09756097560975%;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;"><tr><td colspan="3"></td></tr><tr><td style="width:30%;"></td><td style="width:1%;"></td><td style="width:69%;"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Emerging growth&#160;company</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Wingdings;font-size:10pt;">&#168;</font></div></td></tr></table></div></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:6px;padding-top:6px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. </font><font style="font-family:Wingdings;font-size:10pt;">&#168;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-top:8px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><div><br></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:96px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;padding-left:0px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">I</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">tem 5.02.</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-96px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;text-align:left;text-indent:36px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">On February 23, 2018, each of the Executive Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and the Board of Directors (together, the &#8220;Board&#8221;) of Albemarle Corporation (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) took the following compensation actions. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:6px;padding-top:6px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">2018 Base Salaries </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;text-align:left;text-indent:36px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Board established the following base salaries for our executive officers for fiscal year 2018: Luther C. Kissam, IV ($1,000,000); Scott A. Tozier ($588,000); Karen G. Narwold ($509,250);  Donald J. LaBauve, Jr. ($304,000); and Matthew K. Juneau ($427,000).  Mr. Juneau is expected to retire in March 2018 and his salary is unchanged from 2017. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:6px;padding-top:6px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">2018 Annual Incentive Plan</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#32;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;text-align:left;text-indent:42px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Board approved the fiscal year 2018 annual incentive plan target award percentages for the executive officers of the Company, pursuant to the Albemarle Corporation 2017 Incentive Plan (the &#8220;Incentive Plan&#8221;). Under the Incentive Plan, each of these executive officers is eligible to receive an annual cash incentive payment of zero to two times a target percentage of their respective base salaries if certain company-wide criteria established by the Board are met for 2018. The target percentages of base salary are as follows: Mr. Kissam, (125%); Mr. Tozier (75%); Ms. Narwold (75%); Mr. Juneau (75%); and Mr. LaBauve (40%).  However, as a result of Mr. Juneau's expected retirement in March 2018, he is not expected to receive a pay-out for his 2018 annual incentive award opportunity.  For superior corporate performance and subject to the achievement of specific individual performance goals, up to two times the target amount may be earned. The maximum award opportunities for 2018 are as follows: Mr. Kissam ($2,500,000); Mr. Tozier ($882,000); Ms. Narwold ($763,875); Mr. Juneau ($640,500) and Mr. LaBauve ($243,200).  In 2018, if the Executive Compensation Committee certifies that earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization exceed 5% of net sales, the awards will initially be determined at maximum. The annual incentive awards actually paid to these executive officers are then adjusted to a level at or below the plan maximum in accordance with the actual Company performance, individual performance, and award targets described above. The Board bases the annual incentive awards for named executive officers on performance measures allowed by the Incentive Plan and uses its negative discretion to pay incentive awards for the executives at the performance level achieved against the goals. Any incentive payments earned under the Incentive Plan for 2018 will be paid in the first quarter of 2019. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:6px;padding-top:6px;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">2018 Long Term Incentive Grant</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#32;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;text-align:left;text-indent:42px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Board approved, with a grant date of February 23, 2018, a total grant value of up to $30 million for the 2018 long term incentive plan, consisting of: (i) Stock Options, which will vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, and which will expire February 23, 2028; (ii) Restricted Stock Units (&#8220;RSUs&#8221;), one-half of which will vest on February 23, 2021 with the remaining half vesting on February 23, 2022; and (iii) Performance Stock Units (&#8220;PSUs&#8221;), one-half of which will vest in early 2021 at the time of determination that the Company&#8217;s total shareholder return (&#8220;Total Shareholder Return&#8221;) relative to its peers meets the Company&#8217;s related performance goals and one-half on January 1, 2022. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;text-align:left;text-indent:42px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Total Shareholder Return is calculated by dividing (a) the sum of the dividends paid during the performance period and the difference between the twenty-day average daily closing price of the Company&#8217;s shares at the end and the beginning of the measurement period, by (b) the twenty-day average daily closing price of the Company&#8217;s common shares at the beginning of the performance period. The Company&#8217;s Total Shareholder Return for the 2018 grants is compared to the Total Shareholder Return of the Company&#8217;s peer group of 17 similarly-sized (in terms of revenue) chemical companies (the &#8220;Peer Group&#8221;). The threshold performance level for the PSUs (25% pay-out) is at the 25th percentile of the Peer Group and the target performance level for the PSUs (100% pay-out) is at the 50th percentile of the Peer Group. The superior performance level begins at the 75th percentile of the Peer Group results and results in a 200% pay-out.  Awards for performance between the specified performance levels will be interpolated. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;text-align:left;text-indent:42px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Each of the grants listed above are subject to the terms set forth in the Notice of Option Grant, Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Award and Notice of TSR Performance Unit Award. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;text-align:left;text-indent:42px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The values of the equity granted to each executive officer are set forth below, and are apportioned 25% in the form of Stock Options, 25% in the form of RSUs and 50% in the form of PSUs, except that Mr. LaBauve received 50% in the form of RSUs and 50% in the form of PSUs: Mr. Kissam ($4,000,000); Mr. Tozier ($1,050,000); Ms. Narwold ($1,000,000) and Mr. LaBauve ($150,000).  Mr. Juneau did not receive an equity grant for 2018. The value of PSUs included in the above figures reflects the approximate number of PSUs that each named executive officer would receive for target level performance by the Company multiplied by the grant date closing stock price. </font></div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><div><br></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURE</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">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.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Date: March 1, 2018</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">ALBEMARLE CORPORATION</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><div style="padding-left:0px;text-indent:0px;line-height:normal;padding-top:10px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;width:55.804878048780495%;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;"><tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td style="width:7%;"></td><td style="width:93%;"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">By:</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">/s/ Karen G. Narwold</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Karen G. Narwold</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer</font></div></td></tr></table></div></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div>	</body>
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