Exhibit (a)(5)(ix)

                       RANGER MERGER CORPORATION ANNOUNCES
                  EXTENSION OF TENDER OFFER FOR NCH CORPORATION
                           THROUGH FEBRUARY 12, 2002



               Dallas, Texas, February 5, 2002 - Ranger Merger Corporation
announced today that the expiration of its tender offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock of NCH Corporation (NYSE-NCH) has been extended to
February 12, 2002 at midnight E.S.T. As a result, stockholders of NCH
Corporation may tender or withdraw their shares until midnight E.S.T. on
Tuesday, February 12, 2002, unless the offer is further extended. The extension
of the tender offer is intended to provide stockholders who have not yet
tendered shares additional time to tender their shares.

         Ranger Merger Corporation also announced that according to Mellon
Investor Services LLC, the Depositary for the tender offer, at the close of
business on February 4, 2002, approximately 2,352,458 shares of NCH Corporation
had been validly tendered and not withdrawn. The number of tendered shares,
together with shares owned by Ranger Merger Corporation and its affiliates,
represents approximately 97.83% of the outstanding NCH Corporation shares.
Ranger Merger Corporation has conditioned its offer on the valid tender of a
number of shares, which, when taken together with shares owned by Ranger Merger
Corporation and its affiliates, represents at least 90% of NCH Corporation's
outstanding shares.

         The tender offer is also conditioned on obtaining financing. Ranger
Merger Corporation expects to enter into a definitive credit agreement for the
financing of its pending tender offer for the common stock of NCH Corporation
later today.

         Other than the extension of the offer, the terms of the offer remain
unchanged. Stockholders should continue to refer to the original Offer to
Purchase dated January 7, 2002, as subsequently amended, which discloses the
details of the tender offer.

         NCH Corporation is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of
maintenance, repair and supply products, including chemical specialties,
fasteners, welding alloys and plumbing parts. NCH Corporation has its world
headquarters and domestic administrative center in Irving, Texas and has
manufacturing and other facilities in the US, Canada, Europe, Latin America and
the Far East.

         In connection with the offer, Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc. is acting
as the Dealer Manager, and Mellon Investor Services LLC is acting as Information
Agent and Depositary. Stockholders may call Mellon Investor Services at (888)
695-1646 (toll free) or Deutsche Bank at (410) 895-4631 to request the tender
documents or if they have questions about the tender offer.

         FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

         Certain information in this release are forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties that might adversely affect NCH Corporation's
operating results in the future in a material way. Such risks and uncertainties
include, among other things, industry performance, general economic, market,
interest rate and financial conditions, sales, cost of goods sold, operating and
other revenues and expenses, capital expenditures and working capital of the
Company, and other matters which may not be realized and are inherently subject
to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are
beyond the Company's control. The Company's operations are subject to various
additional risks and uncertainties resulting from its position as a supplier to
the United States government and its agencies; the potential adverse impact of
the Company's substantial indebtedness incurred in connection with the Offer and
the Merger, including restrictions and remedies, available in the related debt
covenant; actual outcomes are dependent upon factors, including, without
limitation, the Company's successful performance of internal plans;
technological innovation; interest rates; pricing; currency movements; budgetary
restraints; customer changes in short-range and long-range plans; domestic and
international competition; product performance; continued development and
acceptance of new products; performance issues with key suppliers and
subcontractors; government import and export policies; acquisition or
termination of government contracts; the outcome of political and legal
processes; legal, financial, and governmental risks related to international
transactions; the ability of the Company to retain customers and obtain new
customers on satisfactory terms, and other factors described from time to time
in the Company's filings with the SEC. Many of these risks are beyond the
control of NCH Corporation. Such risks are detailed from time to time in NCH
Corporation's Reports filed with the SEC on Forms 10-Q, 8-K, 10-K and in its
Annual Reports to Stockholders.

         NOTICE FOR NCH STOCKHOLDERS

         THIS PRESS RELEASE is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation
of an offer to sell shares of NCH Corporation. The Tender Offer is made only
through the offer to purchase and related letter of transmittal and other offer
documents which Ranger Merger Corporation and its affiliates have filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

         Investors are urged to read Ranger Merger Corporation's tender offer
statement and other relevant documents filed with the SEC; they contain
important information. Investors can obtain such documents free of charge at the
SEC's web site, www.sec.gov, or from Ranger Merger Corporation, 2727 Chemsearch
Boulevard, Irving, Texas 75062, Attn: Irvin L. Levy.

Contact:  NCH Corporation, Dallas, Joe Cleveland, Telephone: 972-438-0251.