October 23, 2006

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. ("KKR") today announces it has signed a definitive partnership agreement with the Deconinck Family (the "Family") by acquiring 50% of the share capital of SIF (Société d'Investissement Familiale), a company currently fully owned by the Family, that controls the majority of Tarkett S.A. ("Tarkett" or the "Company"), a global leader in flooring products for the residential and commercial markets.

Simultaneously, SIF will acquire most of the Tarkett shares it does not already own from financial investors.

The long-term objective of this partnership between KKR and the Family is to support Tarkett's management in the Company's global development through organic growth and selected acquisitions, as well as in the continuation of the company's long-standing innovation policy.

Jacques Geraïalde, Managing Director of KKR declared: "We are very satisfied to become a privileged partner to the Deconinck family in Tarkett, a global leader in its core markets with attractive development opportunities. We intend to provide our support and expertise to the Company's management and help them implement their long-term strategic initiatives."

Didier Deconinck, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Tarkett SA, declared: "Our alliance with KKR marks the beginning of a new era. It will enable the minority shareholders who have supported us for a number of years to exit on good terms, and it will provide our company with a new and sustainable basis to respond to the challenges and opportunities it will have to face in a rapidly changing world."

About KKR
KKR is one of the world's oldest and most experienced private equity firms, with offices in New York, Menlo Park, California, London, Paris, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. As illustrated, for instance, by its role as a shareholder in Legrand, acquired in 2002, KKR aims at being a long-term partner to its portfolio companies, working in partnership with management teams and investing for future competitiveness and growth. Over the past thirty years, KKR has invested in more than 140 transactions with a total value of over $226 billion. For more information, please visit www.kkr.com.

About TARKETT
Based in Nanterre, France, Tarkett is one of the largest producers and distributors of flooring products worldwide. With a global workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Tarkett produces around 270 million m2 of resilient, wood and laminate flooring. In 2005 Tarkett's sales amounted to more than 1,622 million Euro. Today the Tarkett Group is present in more than 100 countries and operate 28 production centres worldwide. For more information please visit www.tarkett.com.

Media Contact
In France: Image 7 Estelle Guillot-Tantay / Tiphaine Hecketsweiler T: +33 1 53 70 74 95 E: egt@image7.fr / thecketsweiler@image7.fr

In Europe: Finsbury Zoe Watt T: +44 207 251 3801 E: zoe.watt@finsbury.com

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