Ashland announces price increase for Aquaflow™ thickeners to the coatings industry

Ashland announces price increase for Aquaflow^™ thickeners to the coatings industry

WILMINGTON, Del. - Ashland Specialty Ingredients, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), today said it will increase the price of its phosphate ester specialty surfactants to the coatings industry by 5 percent effective October 1, 2013, or as contracts allow. The price increase is being driven by escalating raw material costs. This increase will enable Ashland to continue investing in support of its customers' growth.

About Ashland Specialty Ingredients
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.

About Ashland
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:

Ashland Specialty Ingredients
Media Relations
Lisa Porter
+1 (973) 628-3898
lporter@ashland.com