MUMBAI, India - Ashland Inc. celebrated the opening of its new technical center in Mumbai, India. The new Ashland Technical Center will develop additives and ingredients that deliver high-performance characteristics sought after by coatings and construction industry professionals. Approximately 100 customers, suppliers, channel partners and media members gathered with Ashland's senior management team and technical center employees to mark the opening.

The technical center offers the latest technologies for rheological additives, surfactants, foam-control agents, buffers for water-based paints, additives for cement dry ad-mix and for construction chemicals.

Nandu Dhekne, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Ashland Specialty Ingredients, spoke to those gathered during the customer welcome reception before the opening ceremony. "We have centered our efforts on bringing a world-class facility to India and have accomplished that goal," he said. "The technical and support functions that will be associated with this facility will continue to position Ashland Specialty Ingredients as an industry leader." Plans call for the technical center to be expanded to offer solutions for the personal care industry in early 2012.