Ashland celebrates the launch of Nanjing Aquapas™ redispersible powders production line

NANJING, China – Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) today celebrated the launch of its Aquapas™ redispersible powders (RDP) production line in Nanjing, China. This new RDP production line is built inside the Ashland manufacturing campus in the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park.

The launch ceremony was attended by officials from various levels within the Jiangsu provincial and Nanjing municipal governments. More than 150 people, including customers from China and overseas, suppliers and media members, together with Ashland’s senior management team, marked the occasion.

As the world’s leading producer of cellulose ether, Ashland has a proven history of developing innovative additive products. Followed by a successful start-up of Natrosol™ hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) production in Nanjing in late 2010, Aquapas RDP is another innovative product Ashland has brought to the region’s construction market. When combined with Ashland’s cellulose ether line of products, it can increase the effectiveness of dry mortar applications, including external insulation and finishing systems, external skim coats, cementitious tile adhesives and self-leveling compounds. Over the next few months, Ashland plans to introduce its product portfolio of water-soluble polymers, including cellulose ether and RDP products, to many local customers through a series of training seminars and road shows.

Presiding over the launch ceremony, Jim, O’Brien, Ashland chairman and CEO, commented on the company’s growth strategy for China and Asia Pacific region: “Today, nearly half of our sales come from outside the U.S., and approximately 20 percent of sales come from the rapidly growing Asia Pacific and Latin American regions. Growth in these markets is key to our long-term success, and we will preferentially allocate resources to these areas. Within our high-growth Specialty Ingredients business alone, we plan to invest approximately $600 million over the next three years to support our planned growth in key regions that include Asia Pacific.”

“Ashland has been a key player in the world's construction business for many years," said John Panichella, president, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “Bringing this RDP production line to Nanjing demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the construction market in China and Asia Pacific. Our goal is to expand our leadership position and to remain actively involved in the growth of the Chinese construction market by providing the most advanced products and innovative technologies.”

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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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Media Relations
Helen Pei
+86 (21) 2402-4863
bpei@ashland.com