ASHLAND ANNOUNCES OFFICE ADDRESS FOR INDIA OPERATIONS

Ashland Inc. has announced the location of its recently established India office. Ashland India Private Ltd. is now located at No. 54, Maker Chambers VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021.

Ashland’s India operations are headed by Mike Swartzlander, vice president, Ashland Inc., and managing director, Ashland India Private Ltd. Earlier this year, Swartzlander announced that Bharat Chhabria would lead business development activities in India. In addition to the existing staff, Vivek Singh will serve as the head of finance for Ashland India as well as maintain his previous position as financial lead for the Valvoline/Cummins Ltd. joint venture in India.

“We are extremely excited about opening our office in India,” Swartzlander said. “The creation of the new office will allow Ashland to continue actively building business while serving this important market with quality products.”

Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), 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.

For more information, visitwww.ashland.com.

CELANESE DEDICATES NEW EMULSIONS FACILITY IN NANJING, CHINA

Celanese recently dedicated its 10th global polymer emulsions facility in Nanjing, China, as part of the inaugural celebration of its integrated chemical complex. The new plant will provide customers throughout Asia with high-performance, environmentally friendly latex emulsions for use in the adhesives, nonwovens, glass fiber, low odor, and architectural coatings markets. Though the plant is new, Celanese has been serving the region for more than two years with high-quality vinyl-acetate/ethylene, vinyl and acrylic-based waterborne emulsions through its expert commercial and technical teams based in Shanghai.

As part of the festivities, customers toured the new emulsions facility where Doug Madden, President of Acetate, Emulsions, PVOH & AT Plastics, remarked that the ceremony underscored the company’s continued commitment to the Asian Marketplace. “China and the entire Asian region remain an integral part of our strategic growth plans for Celanese and the emulsions business,” Madden said. “Our investment in this state-of-the-art emulsions facility - as well as our new technology center in Shanghai to be completed next year - demonstrates our commitment to supplying high-performance polymers to this growing marketplace.”

For more information, visitwww.celanese.com.

CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION FEATURED ON PBS' ‘WIRED SCIENCE'

Chemical Heritage Foundation will be featured in a segment of PBS’ newest series, “Wired Science,” when it premieres nationwide October 3, 2007 (8:00 p.m. PT/ET). A production of KCET Los Angeles in association withWiredmagazine, “Wired Science” combines the breakout journalism, irreverent attitude and award-winning design ofWiredmagazine with the skills and experience of PBS, one of the nation’s most trusted television institutions. “Wired Science” will untangle the complex research that defines 21st century culture and innovation, and introduce viewers to the people making it happen.

For more information, visitwww.chemheritage.org.

COGNIS RETAINS M&A SPECIALISTS FOR REVIEW OF PULCRA CHEMICALS

Cognis’ Process Chemicals’ strategic business unit recently became a legally separate company, trading under the name of Pulcra Chemicals. This step was taken as a result of Cognis’ decision to concentrate on the three core business areas of Care Chemicals, Nutrition & Health and Functional Products.

Pulcra Chemicals supplies process chemicals to the textile and leather industries. Lincoln International, an investment bank specializing in M&A transactions, has been tasked with finding a suitable investor or partner for Pulcra Chemicals who can help it to develop its business successfully.

Pulcra Chemicals develops and markets products tailored to individual specifications at a competitive cost, backed with full advisory and after-sales service for customers. The company operates production sites and service centers in Germany, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, and the U.S.

In 2006, the Process Chemicals strategic business unit recorded sales of textile and leather products worth 258 million euros, an increase of 4.1 percent on the previous year. This growth was primarily driven by strong demand in the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information, visitwww.cognis.com.

CRAY VALLEY RESUMES PRODUCTION FOLLOWING HURRICANE HUMBERTO

Cray Valley has resumed production at its hydrocarbon resin manufacturing facility in Beaumont, TX, following production delays due to Hurricane Humberto.

The facility lost less than 36 hours of production after the hurricane brought high winds and heavy rain to the region on Sept. 12. There is no physical damage to the plant, despite 80 to 100 mph winds.

In 2006, the company relocated its warehouse further inland, resulting in no loss of power or operations from the most recent storm.

With a strong inventory, Cray Valley does not anticipate interruption in service. The company extends it appreciation to customers, employees and suppliers for their understanding and patience while the plant regained operation.

Based in Paris, Cray Valley's tackifying resins line includes Wingtackâand NorsoleneÒresins used as raw materials for coatings, adhesives, ink, elastomers, and other applicatons.

For more information, visitwww.crayvalley.com.

DOW POLYURETHANES TO ACQURE DENMARK'S EDULAN A/S

The Dow Chemical Company announced today that it will acquire Danish company Edulan A/S, an independent polyurethane (PU) systems house specializing in rigid foam and elastomer technologies. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, will expand Dow Polyurethane Systems, a business unit within Dow Polyurethanes, and strengthen its presence in Northern Europe.

In addition to Edulan’s business and production facility in Denmark, Dow will also acquire rights to all of its rigorously formulated and field-tested systems, which can be further developed into tailored solutions.

“This acquisition continues our strategy of patient, disciplined investment to grow our Performance businesses in a way that will bring significant value to our customers and create long-term opportunities for Dow,” said Juan Antonio Merino, general manager, Dow Polyurethane Systems. “Edulan not only offers us an excellent position in northern Europe, it also expands our portfolio of PU systems technology, helping us to provide our customers with solutions that are tailor-made to their very specific need.”

Edulan sells a broad array of polyurethane systems, mainly into the rigid foam market, as well as elastomers for specialties applications. By establishing a base in Denmark, Dow Polyurethane Systems will be well positioned to meet customer demand for customized polyurethane systems in the Nordic countries, as well as capture emerging demand in the growing economies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

For more information, visitwww.pusystems.com.

SARTOMER NAMES SWEENEY WEST CHESTER PLANT MANAGER

Sartomer Co. has named Ken Sweeney plant manager of its West Chester, PA, manufacturing facility. Sweeney assumes responsibility for monomer production operations at the facility. He reports to Larry Athens, vice president, manufacturing.

Sweeney joined Sartomer in 1989. Most recently, he was manager of Houston area operations for the company, which included manufacturing of Sartomer's PolyBd®, SMA®and specialty resins product lines. Sweeney earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Penn State University (State College, PA).

Sartomer Co., part of Total's Chemicals branch, is a U.S.-based manufacturer of specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Exton, PA, Sartomer provides a variety of specialty chemicals designed to enhance processing and performance characteristics in coatings, inks, elastomers, adhesives, sealants, composites, and other demanding applications. The company's product offering includes more than 620 monomers and oligomers, photoinitiators, polybutadiene resins, styrene maleic anhydride resins, and other specialty chemicals.

For more information, visitwww.sartomer.com.