Ashland to Buy Adhesive and Polymer Assets from Air Products

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Approximately 80 employees will transfer toAshland upon closing of the acquisition, expected by June 30, dependent upon a number of standard closing conditions including regulatory review.

"This is a highly desirable strategic fit with our resins growth platform and our present business in the adhesives and coatings market space," said James J. O'Brien,Ashland's chairman and chief executive officer. "It meets our objectives for adding scale in a targeted segment that has expectations for above-average growth and attractive margins."

"This transaction positionsAshland as a top tier pressure-sensitive adhesives manufacturer," said Marcello Boldrini, vice president, Ashland Performance Materials, and general manager, SP&A. "The water-based emulsion technology from Air Products nicely complements our established solutions technologies and our more recent UV/EB technologies that came to us through the Northwest Coatings acquisition about a year ago."

Boldrini said the acquired operations include both acrylic and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) technologies supportingAshland's sales into paper and film labels, adhesives and sealants, pulp and paper, coatings and woodworking industries.

Ashland Specialty Polymers & Adhesives, a business group of Ashland Performance Materials, is a global leader in pressure sensitive and structural adhesives for the packaging and converting, building and construction, and transportation industries.

Ashland Performance Materials, a division of Ashland Inc., is a worldwide manufacturer and supplier of specialty chemicals and customized services to the building and construction, packaging and converting, transportation, marine and metal casting industries. It is a technology leader in metal casting consumables and design services; unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins and gel coats; and high-performance adhesives and specialty resins.

Ashland Inc., a diversified, global chemical company, provides quality products, services and solutions to customers in more than 100 countries. A FORTUNE 500 company, it operates through four divisions: Ashland Performance Materials, Ashland Distribution, Valvoline and Ashland Water Technologies. To learn more aboutAshland, visit http://www.ashland.com .

SOURCE Ashland Inc.