Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients Opens Nanjing Technical Center

SHANGHAI, April 21, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), formally opened its Nanjing Technical Center recently to support customers in the coatings, construction, energy, food, personal care and industrial specialties markets.

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Ceremonies attended by local government officials from Nanjing Chemical Industry Park, representatives from Nanjing University of Technology, customers and lab staff members were hosted by John Panichella, president, Functional Ingredients; Dale MacDonald, president, Ashland Asia Pacific; and Nandkumar Dhekne, vice president, Functional Ingredients Asia.

"The center is another step in our history of continuing strategic investment in China," said Panichella. "The application testing support it provides will enable Ashland to continue to offer practical and cost-efficient solutions to meet the needs of our customers in China and throughout Asia. Our technical team is determined to provide creative solutions based on thorough understanding of today's industries and by closely working with our customers and our sales teams," he added.

"Through the Nanjing Technical Center, Ashland again is providing additional investment and expanded capabilities to bring value to our customers in the cellulose market," said MacDonald. "We look forward to the opportunities this presents for growth of our customers, as well as ourselves."

Dr. Weiguo Yang has been named manager of the technical center, which occupies a space of approximately 1,200 square meters on the campus of Nanjing University of Technology.

Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients is the number two producer of cellulose ethers worldwide and the world's only producer of refined wood rosin. It provides specialty additives and functional ingredients that manage the physical properties of aqueous and non-aqueous systems. Many of its products - used in construction, food, personal care, pharmaceuticals, oil field production and paints - are derived from renewable and natural raw materials and perform in a wide variety of applications.

Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) provides specialty chemical products, services and solutions for many of the world's most essential needs and 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.

SOURCE Ashland Inc.

http://www.ashland.com

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