specialty additives

responsibly enabling a better world

specialty additives and intermediates

For architectural coatings, global trends remain consistent. Safety, durability, improved indoor air quality, no odor, and enhanced resistance to mildew and mold are driving the market. Ashland’s portfolio delivers on those trends by providing customers with a wide range of water- and cellulose-based additives that enhance the sustainability of high-quality paint formulations. Today’s consumers want “clean” water-based coatings that are safe to apply and responsibly made with low/ no VOCs and no odor. Their interest in caring for the environment means delivering responsibly made products with lower carbon emissions that reduce the carbon footprints of Ashland, our customers and consumers themselves. At the same time, consumers expect improved performance and productivity with ease of application and “one-coat hide” leading the charge, followed closely by enhanced durability and stain resistance. This focus on safe, environmentally responsible, high-performance products set the stage for increased transparency of our raw material chain, greater detail in how our products are used and detailed, science-based goals that include less packaging, lighter products and streamlined supply chain logistics that build trust with consumers and shareholders alike.

That transparency and agility in the face of change informs our entire ESG strategy as empowered and accountable teams respond quickly and responsibly to local needs while adhering to global disciplines. It’s a strategy that delivers an environmentally responsible value chain, allows customers to make accurate claims to consumers about attractive features of their products, all while maintaining profitability and reinvestment economics for Ashland’s business.

new product innovation highlights

aquaflow™ eco 300 nonionic synthetic

associative thickeners (NSATs) are efficient thickeners for high-performance waterborne paints and coatings; these NSATs build rheology in paints and coatings through self-association and interaction with other ingredients; this high shear effective rheology modifier meets the need for biocide-free rheology additives and addresses positive environmental desires by delivering the product in a 100-percent active solid dosage form

culminal™ methylcellulose derivatives

generated game-changing solutions in rheology, application, and processing characteristics as they are widely used in advanced ceramics as green strength binders for ceramic extrusion

aquaflow™ rheology

modifiers are based on hydrophobically-modified polyacetal-polyether (HM-PAPE) chemistry and are designed to function as a drop-in replacement for urethane-type (HEUR) thickeners and work well in conjunction with hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC/ HMHEC) and other nonionic cellulose ethers

we are expanding global capabilities to support the growth of the strategic lithium-ion batteries (LiB) segment; Ashland scientists specializing in LiB applications in Düsseldorf, Germany, spent time this year at our Research Center in Wilmington, Delaware to leverage learnings and technology and better support leading European customers’ demands regionally