PQ Group Board of Directors Authorizes $50 Million Share Repurchase Program

PQ Group Holdings Inc. PQG, a leading integrated and innovative global provider of specialty catalysts, materials, chemicals, and services, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a repurchase plan to acquire up to $50 million of PQG's shares over the next 24 months.

"Our most important priority is to deliver value to our shareholders. PQ's recent share price does not reflect the intrinsic value of our specialty business portfolio or improved financial position. We remain confident in the long term outlook for the underlying secular demand drivers favoring our differentiated and diversified businesses," commented Belgacem Chariag, PQ Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "While we will continue to allocate free cash flow to debt reduction, we are also taking an opportunistic approach to value enhancing capital allocation."

Repurchases under the plan may be made at management's discretion from time to time on the open market or through privately negotiated transactions.

Investor Contact:
Nahla A. Azmy
(610) 651-4561
Nahla.Azmy@pqcorp.com

About PQ Group Holdings Inc.

PQ Group Holdings Inc. and subsidiaries is a leading integrated and innovative global provider of specialty catalysts, materials, chemicals and services. We support customers globally through our strategically located network of manufacturing facilities. We believe that our products, which are predominantly inorganic, and services contribute to improving the sustainability of the environment.

We have four uniquely positioned specialty businesses: Refining Services provides sulfuric acid recycling to the North American refining industry; Catalysts serves the packaging and engineering plastics and the global refining, petrochemical and emissions control industries; Performance Materials produces transportation reflective safety markings for roads and airports; and Performance Chemicals supplies diverse product end uses, including personal and industrial cleaning products, fuel-efficient tires, surface coatings, and food and beverage products.

We serve over 4,000 customers globally across many end uses and operate over 70 manufacturing facilities which are strategically located across six continents. For more information, see our website at https://www.pqcorp.com.

Note on Forward Looking Statements

Some of the information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects" and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. We caution you, therefore, against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.