Ashland consolidates respresentation for industrial water treatment market in the Middle East region

SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland – Ashland Hercules Water Technologies (AHWT), a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), has announced the consolidation of its representation for commercial and industrial water treatment products and services in the Middle East region.

The consolidation, which became effective Nov. 1, positions Belal Hader as Ashland’s single representative in Middle Eastern and Arabian countries for its comprehensive portfolio of process, utility-water and functional chemistry products in the pulp and paper, commercial and institutional, food and beverage, chemical processing and general manufacturing markets. Customers in the municipal wastewater, mining and desalination markets, utilizing StreamLink Specialty Chemicals, a business unit of Ashland Hercules Water Technologies, will continue to be represented in the region by an established network of distributors.

“For more than 11 years, Hader has successfully represented Ashland’s commercial interests in the Middle East related to our technologies and services for the pulp and paper industries,” said Mario Swinnen, vice president, commercial, for Ashland Hercules Water Technologies for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We are pleased to expand on our previous success to now include the commercial and industrial water treatment markets. This new consolidated approach represents a major improvement to our service delivery capabilities for customers in Middle Eastern and Arabian countries, providing a single point of contact with years of experience in the region.”

All other agreements between Ashland and previous distributors serving the commercial and industrial water treatment markets in Middle Eastern and Arabian countries have been terminated. Ashland is now working with Belal Hader to identify new distributors in the region to help support the company’s growth strategies in these markets. Until such time that new channel partners are announced, Belal Hader will act as Ashland’s sole authorized representative for commercial and industrial water treatment products and services.

For more information about Ashland’s commercial and industrial products and services available in the region, please contact:
• Belal Hader
Commercial representative
Middle Eastern and Arabian countries
Khobar, Saudi Arabia
Tel: +96 6506868831
Amman, Jordan
Tel: +96 2799766544
E-mail: bhader@ashland.com
• Claudio Rigano
Sales manager, Italy and Middle East
Ashland Hercules Water Technologies
Tel : +39 02 891401 1
E-mail: crigano@ashland.com

Ashland Hercules Water Technologies is the number one global producer of papermaking chemicals and is a leading specialty chemicals supplier to the pulp and paper, industrial and institutional, mining and municipal markets. Its process, functional and water management chemistries are used to improve operational efficiencies, to enhance product quality, to protect plant assets and to ensure environmental compliance.

In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) provide the specialty chemicals, technologies and insights to help customers create new and improved products for today and sustainable solutions for tomorrow. Our chemistry is used every day in applications from automotive, food and beverages, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and paper and tissue to durable goods and infrastructure, including building and construction, energy and water treatment. Visit www.ashland.com to see the innovations we offer through our five commercial units -- Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients, Ashland Hercules Water Technologies, Ashland Performance Materials, Ashland Consumer Markets (Valvoline) and Ashland Distribution.

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