Ashland Inc. to showcase innovative solutions at ChinaCoat 2011

SHANGHAI, China – Ashland Specialty Ingredients, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSH: ASH), will present a wide range of innovative application solutions for the paint and coatings industry at this year’s ChinaCoat Nov. 23-25 in Shanghai.

“In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for products that combine high performance with meeting customers’ regulatory expectations,” said Shruti Singhal, global marketing director, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “Waterborne coatings are the material of choice, and our complete additive solutions, with rheology modifiers, specialty surfactants, foam control agents and biocides can help pave the way for eco-friendly coatings solutions. In this regard, we are supporting our customers by working to achieve a more sustainable business success.”

At the Ashland Specialty Ingredients booth No. 3D41-50, visitors will experience a wide range of products and services that address challenging coatings’ market needs. Products being highlighted at the show include: Natrosol™ hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), the most widely specified thickener for waterborne architectural coatings; Aquaflow™ nonionic synthetic associative thickeners (NSATs), which are APEO-free liquid additives for the highest performance paints and coatings; Advantage™ and DrewPlus™ foam control agents and Dextrol™ and Strodex™ specialty surfactants.

In addition to these innovative high-performance products, our comprehensive line for wood care will be introduced to the market. This line includes high-performance, siloxane-based foam control agents, specialty rheology modifiers, WetCare™ water repellency additive, SunCare™ lignin protection technology, Escalol™ UV stabilizers and SunCare™ TopCoat UV protection additive, which forms a nano-scale emulsion of transparent UV absorbing particles.

“We have a proven record of success with paint and coatings manufacturers globally, and we are committed to long-term growth with our customers through innovations and technical expertise,” commented Nandu Dhekne, vice president, Asia Pacific, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “With our recent acquisition of International Specialty Products Inc. (ISP), Ashland’s product portfolio for the coatings industry has been enhanced. The combined resources in production networks, staff experience and industrial know-how enable us to be recognized as a preferred partner within the industry.”

Ashland Specialty Ingredients offers industry-leading products, technologies and resources for solving formulation and product performance challenges in key markets including personal care, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, coatings and energy. Using natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic polymers derived from plant and seed extract, cellulose ethers and vinyl pyrrolidones, Ashland Specialty Ingredients offers comprehensive and innovative solutions for today's demanding consumer and industrial applications.

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 at work every day in a wide variety of markets and applications, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical, tissue and towel, and water treatment. Visit www.ashland.com to see the innovations we offer through our four commercial units – Ashland Specialty Ingredients, Ashland Water Technologies, Ashland Performance Materials and Ashland Consumer Markets.

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