Krautli named an official Valvoline™ pruducts distributor in Portugal

BARENDRECHT, Netherlands – Valvoline International Inc., an affiliate of Ashland Consumer Markets (Valvoline), a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), has signed a new distribution agreement with Krautli Portugal Lda. Effective immediately, Krautli becomes an authorized distributor for the complete line of Valvoline™ high-performance lubricants, automotive chemicals and car care products in Portugal.

In addition to supplying warehouse distributors, specialized workshops and dealership customers serving the passenger car market, Krautli will also market and sell the full line of premium Valvoline lubricants, coolants and chemicals to the heavy-duty market such as bus and truck fleets, and mining and construction equipment. As part of the agreement, Krautli will provide technical support and expertise to the market, which includes independent Valvoline Service Centers in Portugal.

“Krautli is clearly recognized as a supplier of premium brands to automotive and marine customers, making this an excellent strategic fit for our organization,” said Dean Doza, vice president and general manager of Valvoline for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “With 20 years of experience in the Portuguese market, Krautli has demonstrated their capabilities for expanding our market position in the country. We look forward to leveraging the local knowledge of our new channel partner to deliver clear benefits to customers using high-performance Valvoline products.”

“No other brand fits as perfectly in our development strategy as Valvoline,” said José Pires, general manager of Krautli Portugal. “The high brand awareness of Valvoline, its recognized added value and its top quality products are in complete synchrony with our product portfolio and with what our customers expect from us. The knowledge that Krautli has in the five market segments identified for Valvoline – passenger cars, heavy duty, two wheels, marine and industrial – and the marketing roadmap defined for the brand, are the ground basis for growth in the near future. We will work together to position Valvoline prominently in the Portuguese market.”

For more information on availability and ordering of Valvoline high-performance products in Portugal, please contact the Krautli representative below:
• Krautli Portugal Lda.
Paulo Santos, Brand Manager, Valvoline™ Sales Division
Tel: 351 21 953 56 56
Mobile: 351 91 762 58 78
e-mail: p.santos@krautli.pt

Valvoline, a brand of Ashland Consumer Markets, is the world’s first lubricating oil. In Europe, Valvoline-branded lubricants and chemicals, Eagle One™ automotive appearance products, and Tectyl™ rust preventives are marketed and sold through company-owned operations in Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Valvoline, Eagle One and Tectyl products are also available through an extensive network of licensees and distributors in Benelux, Nordic, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and certain African countries.

Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) provides specialty chemical products, services and solutions for many of the world’s most essential industries. Serving customers in more than 100 countries, it operates through five commercial units: Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients, Ashland Hercules Water Technologies, Ashland Performance Materials, Ashland Consumer Markets (Valvoline) and Ashland Distribution. To learn more about Ashland, visit www.ashland.com.

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