Ashland showcases flexible packaging adhesives solutions for food safety at ChinaPlas 2013

Shanghai, China - When walking down the aisle of any grocery stores, consumers are greeted by with a variety of packaged food. Whether the food is frozen or requires heat, proper packaging is vital to great tasting, healthy food. Today, food packaging has become a strategic decision for food manufacturers.

At the upcoming ChinaPlas in Guangzhou, China, Asia's leading International Plastics and Rubber Trade Fair, Ashland will showcase flexible food packaging adhesives solutions to the Chinese market. Ashland solvent-free laminating adhesives comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements for a variety of end-use products, including hot-fill and cook-in-bag applications.

Ashland has proven expertise with ingredients for food and beverage, cosmetics and personal care, as well as drug intermediates. Ashland's analytical capabilities and toxicology expertise, in conjunction with commercial and pilot-scale laminating equipment and performance testing laboratories, lead to packaging solutions that meet all technical and regulatory "fit for use" requirements from customers.

While at the show, customers are invited to stop by Ashland's stand 9.2M71 and ask about the products such as Purelam&#8482 6000/6050 2-component solvent-free urethane adhesive and Purelam&#8482 Fastcure 2-component urethane adhesives. Both of these products provide technologies that will help create packaging solutions that are both efficient and compliant in high-risk applications.

"We see an increasing demand for packaged food such as microwaveable meals and frozen foods in China's market. Ashland's provides high performance adhesives, coatings and primers that are designed and proven to meet the needs of the flexible food packaging industry," said Max Li, commercial manager, packaging and converting, Ashland Performance Materials, Asia Pacific.

Baochang Zhang, vice president, Ashland Performance Materials says, "Our Asia Pacific team is excited about this business opportunity. Ashland has many years of proven success of manufacturing flexible food packaging adhesives in North America, and we are now bringing these products and expertise to China. We are partnering with our local packaging manufacturers to help them win in this fast growing market by producing high quality and safe food packaging materials."

For more product information, please contact Max Li at +86 21 2402 4888 / +86 189 1810 9567.

About Ashland Performance Materials
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. Ashland 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.

About Ashland Inc.
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 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
Gillian Zhou
+86 (21) 2402-4881
gzhou@ashland.com