Ashland to showcase its complete solutions for paints and coatings at ECS 2011

SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland – Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), will promote its latest innovations designed to improve the performance, efficiency and value of architectural paints and industrial coatings at this year’s European Coatings Show in Nürnberg, Germany, March 29 – 31.

Technical sales and applications experts from Ashland’s Coatings Additives business unit will be available at stand 7-125 in Hall 7 to illustrate the benefits of their comprehensive portfolio of rheology modifiers, foam control agents and specialty additives for paints and coatings.

“We continue to work closely with formulators and manufacturers around the world to identify unmet needs and to create new solutions, enabling our customers to excel in today’s highly competitive environment, while helping to create the next-generation of low-VOC and environmentally responsible paints and coatings that will define our industry in the future,” said Scott Dautel, global marketing manager, Coatings Additives, Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients. “Ashland’s core value is collaborating with customers to provide the powerful combination of unique chemistries and expert formulation guidance. Ultimately, we aim to provide superior, cost-effective performance to paints and coating formulations, while also striving to simplify manufacturing.”

Within the paints and coatings industry, Ashland’s Natrosol™ hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) and Natrosol Plus hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose (HMHEC) have been recognized as industry-leading technologies for delivering robust and consistent thickening in both interior and exterior paints, while providing excellent color acceptance, color development and viscosity retention upon tinting. Ashland recently launched Natrosol HE 3KB modified hydroxyethylcellulose, which is specifically engineered to provide outstanding in-can feel, brushability, flow and leveling, and biostability across the entire range of popular latex binder systems.

Ashland also will highlight a new family of high-performance Drewplus™ foam control agents, as well as Aquaflow™ and Aquaflow XLS nonionic synthetic associative thickeners, pHLEX™ neutralizing agent, and its APEO-free Dextrol™ and Strodex™ specialty surfactants.

In addition to the company’s investments in developing and bringing to market new technologies, Ashland is committed to providing security of supply for its customers around the world. In December 2010, Ashland celebrated the grand opening of its new Natrosol HEC production facility in Nanjing, China. The facility has an initial annual capacity of 10,000 metric tons, and also includes an applications laboratory and technical training facilities. The plant’s infrastructure is designed for further expansion to meet the increasing market demand across Asia, and will significantly relieve the company’s HEC supply position in key European markets.

Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients is a leading producer of hydrocolloids, primarily cellulose ethers, worldwide. It provides specialty additives and functional ingredients that manage the physical properties of aqueous and non-aqueous systems including rheology control, water retention, bonding strength, film formation, conditioning, deposition and stabilization. Many of its products – used in paint and coatings, construction, food, personal care, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas field production and specialty industries – are derived from renewable and natural raw materials.

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, personal care, pharmaceutical, tissue and towel, 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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