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Ashland Distribution and Borealis expand European distribution alliance

04 Feb 2003 - Ashland Distribution Company and Borealis have announced that as of March 1, 2003, they will extend their current European distribution agreement to also include polypropylene for small- and medium-sized automotive and household appliance customers in the Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland and the UK, in addition to the Nordic countries. Ashland Distribution, a division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH), is already a key distributor throughout Europe of all natural grades of Borealis-produced polypropylene and polyethylene.
 
According to Walter Baumann, Vice President of Borealis' Engineering Applications business unit: "The rapid expansion and global growth of customers in the automotive and household appliance industry emphasizes the need to focus Borealis' sales force on market development projects to optimize support for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and system suppliers. Custom-tailored engineering polypropylene products have been the key success factor in Borealis' strong acceptance in many markets".
 
"The expansion of Ashland's relationship with a key supplier such as Borealis allows us to enhance our product offering and better serve our customers," said Stephen P. Fazakas, vice president, international, Ashland Distribution Company.
 
Ashland and Borealis began their distribution relationship in 1997 when Ashland began to provide local sales and service of Borealis polyethylene and polypropylene to plastic processors in Western Europe. Ashland will continue to concentrate on the small to medium sized customers in all markets, but now with extended focus on the automotive and appliance industry for which the agreement previously only included the Nordic countries.