Ashland to showcase innovative solutions at China Composites Expo 2012

Shanghai, China - From resins that help your car get more miles per gallon, to packaging that keeps snacks fresh and crisp, to composites that help make wind energy more efficient and to acrylic bonding that help premium sanitary sinks and bathtubs more durable. All of these and more will be on display when Ashland Performance Materials, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), meets with customers Sept. 5-7 at the China Composites Expo 2012 in Shanghai.

Ashland Performance Materials has been formulating award-winning and industry-recognized composite and specialty polymer technology for more than 50 years. Today, we're helping our customers create stronger, lighter, more resistant substitutes for traditional materials through higher-performing, cost-efficient resin and adhesive technologies that improve the manufacturing, fabrication and design process. Applied industries include packaging, building and transportation, marine, wind power, and coating and converting.

"Ashland has been working with our customers to deliver the best products with unparalleled advantages in terms of durability and high-quality performance," said Baochang Zhang, vice president, Ashland Performance Materials, Asia Pacific. "Based on our extensive technological expertise, we are capable of developing innovative solutions from the lab to large-scale production."

Ashland's technologies help car manufacturers improve the efficiency of many vehicle parts. Structural parts made from Arotran™ unsaturated polyester and Derakane™ epoxy vinyl ester resins offer greater flexibility and  weight reduction while saving money. Ashland's Aroset™ pressure sensitive and Purelam ™ lamination adhesives offer an array of innovative solutions for consumer, industrial and food packaging, providing excellent clarity and UV resistance with a wide range of tack, adhesion, and cohesive properties.  Ashland's Pliogrip ™ structural adhesives are applied in the transportation markets including automotive, heavy truck, etc. Ashland's Isoset ™ and Isogrip™ structural adhesives set the building and construction adhesives performance standards. Ashland Performance Materials also provides products to the global wind energy segment, including resin, adhesive, gelcoats and specific coating systems. For example, research has shown that using Derakane epoxy vinyl ester resins instead of epoxy resin on a 40-meter blade can lead to as much as a 25 percent gain in productivity.

"We are committed to providing solutions that add efficiencies, optimize performance and reduce waste," Zhang said.

At Ashland booth, our sales and technical team will also introduce how Ashland's AF series acrylic sheets bonding resin is successfully applied in the world famous brand whirlpool bath tubs and SPA tubs. Its high filler loading and excellent bonding character can bring significant values for sanitary wares manufacturers.

Ashland Performance Materials is a global leader in composite resins, gelcoats, adhesives, specialty coatings and elastomers. It also provides metal casting consumables and design services for effective foundry management through the ASK Chemicals GmbH joint venture. Performance Materials' products are used in construction, transportation, boatbuilding, and packaging and converting markets. Key customers include manufacturers of residential and commercial building products, infrastructure engineers, wind blade manufacturers, pipe manufacturers, auto and truck makers, tire makers, commercial label printers, specialty film converters and boat builders. See ashland.com for more information.

In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland Inc. 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 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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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Asia Pacific
Media Relations
Helen Pei
+86 (21) 2402-4863
bpei@ashland.com