Exhibit 12-1 FORMICA CORPORATION COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (in millions, except ratio data) Twelve Eleven Twelve Twelve Four Eight Twelve Three Three Months Months Months Months Months Months Months Months Months Ended Ended Ended Ended Ended Ended Ended Ended Ended 12/31/94 12/31/95 12/31/96 12/31/97 04/30/98 12/31/98 12/31/99 03/31/99 03/31/00 Income (Loss) from continuing operations before income taxes per statement of operations 8.7 (32.3) (22.9) (504.6) (14.6) (19.5) (43.5) (9.5) (16.8) Add: Portion of rents representative of the interest factor 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.6 0.8 1.8 2.4 0.6 0.6 Interest on indebtedness and amortization of debt expense 46.4 31.7 10.6 3.1 1.7 25.7 37.4 10.4 10.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income as adjusted 57.6 2.0 (9.8) (498.9) (12.1) 8.0 (3.7) 1.5 (6.2) ======================================================================================= Fixed Charges: Interest on indebtedness and amortization of debt expense(1) 46.4 31.7 10.6 3.1 1.7 25.7 37.4 10.4 10.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Capitalized interest(2) -- -- 0.2 1.3 -- -- -- -- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rents 7.6 7.8 7.6 7.8 2.4 5.3 7.2 1.8 1.7 Portion of rents representative of the interest factor(3) 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.6 0.8 1.8 2.4 0.6 0.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fixed Charges (1) + (2) + (3) 48.9 34.3 13.3 7.0 2.5 27.5 39.8 11.0 10.6 ======================================================================================= Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 1.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- =======================================================================================