Ashland Casting Solutions Recognized for Excellence in Environmental Health, Safety
DUBLIN, Ohio (USA) - Ashland Casting Solutions, a business group of Ashland Specialty Chemical, a division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), will be recognized with three awards of excellence for Responsible Care* initiatives by the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council on Monday, March 14, in Columbus. This will be the fifth consecutive year for Ashland's Casting Solutions business to receive recognition for its commitment to Responsible Care.
Ashland Casting Solutions, the leader in bringing innovation to the metal castings industry, will receive honors for improvements in EXACTCAST® sleeve manufacturing. A study of all elements at one of Ashland's toll manufacturing facilities resulted in lower risk potential for employee exposures and enhanced process improvements. The study highlighted Ashland's commitment to adding value through strong relationships with toll manufacturing operations. Dana Cooper, global marketing manager, will receive the award.
Ashland's Cleveland-East facility will receive an award for two entries entitled "Automated Liquid Charging System" and "IBC Cleaning Optimization." Russ Montgomery, plant manager, will receive the award.
The Automated Liquid Charging System implemented at the Cleveland-East facility has reduced manual handling of liquids, reduced waste residues and increased safety. The Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) Cleaning Optimization program moved IBC cleaning to an internal process and focused efforts to recycle all solvent-based cleaning materials back into the manufacturing process.
Ashland's Cleveland-West facility will receive an award for a solution they implemented to enhance performance of several foundry binder resins by improving the stabilizer process. Mixing a stabilizer with binder resins requires tight tolerances and adding the stabilizers was a difficult task. The plant engineer designed, and the operations manager implemented, an automated system that that not only improved accuracy and increased quality assurance, but also reduced the potential for worker exposure by 96 percent. The Cleveland-West facility also implemented an improved site security program. Randy Helmick, Plant Manager will receive the award.
The awards recognize excellence in environmental health, safety and security performance. Ashland is committed to product and environmental stewardship and has adopted and implemented the guidelines of the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care initiative.
Ashland Casting Solutions, a business group of Ashland Specialty Chemical, is a leader in supplying products, processes and technologies to the global marketplace for composites and gel coats.
Ashland Specialty Chemical, a division of Ashland Inc., is a leading, worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals serving industries including adhesives, automotive, composites, metal casting, merchant marine, paint, paper, plastics, watercraft and water treatment. Visit www.ashspec.com to learn more about these operations.
Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH) is a Fortune 500 transportation construction, chemicals and petroleum company providing products, services and customer solutions throughout the world. To learn more about Ashland, visit www.ashland.com.
® Registered trademark, Ashland, Inc.
*Responsible Care and the Responsible Care logo are registered service marks of the American Chemistry Council in the United States and various entities in other countries.
