| MEETINGS
There will be a Keith Millis Symposium on October 20-23, 2003 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
BUSINESS
Ashland Casting Solutions Enters into Marketing Agreement with Z Corporation
Dublin, OH and Burlington, MA - Ashland Casting Solutions, a business unit of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, and Z Corporation are pleased to announce today, at GIFA 2003 (Hall 12, Stand No. A 39.40), a marketing partnership designed to create value and provide integrated solutions to the casting industry.
As marketing partners, Ashland Casting Solutions will distribute Z Corp.'s complete line of 3D Printers and ZCast* material systems for use in short-run prototype metal casting. The revolutionary ZCast technology and complementary material systems were developed by ZCorp. to cramatically decrease the time and cost associated with prototype metal casting. The ZCast technology enables creation of cast metal prototype parts directly from CAD data in 24-48 hours.
Ashland Casting Solutions and ESI Group to Offer Casting Simulation Software and Services
Dublin, Ohio (USA) and Paris (France) - Ashland Casting Solutions, a business unit of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, and ESI Group are pleased to announce today, at GIFA Foundry Trade Fair 2003 in Düsseldorf, their intent to jointly provide casting simulation software solutions and services to the metal casting industry.
The parties will market ProCAST casting simulation software, a fully integrated design tool in the CAD/CAE chain. ProCAST is a completely modular package that can be adapted to the analysis of any shape casting process, for any alloy.
Ashland-ACT launches EZStrip™ Line of Etch Residue Removers
Dublin, OH (USA) - Ashland-ACT is introducing a new line of etch residue removers at SEMICON West (Booth 1015). The products, which are being marketed under the EZStrip brand, are new formulations for common semiconductor industry applications. The first three formulations in the line are being featured at SEMICON West.
EZStrip 1 and EZStrip 2 etch residue removers are HA-containing chemistries formulated using an improved solvent platform which enables these products to quickly and effectively remove etch residue and positive photoresist with minimal impact on critical dimensions of vias and metal lines. EZStrip 1 & EZStrip 2 etch residue removers have shown improved performance in some applications versus existing HA products.
EZStrip etch residue remover is a fluoride-containing formulation developed specifically for etch residue removal. Ashland-ACT specifically engineered this chemistry to provide a wide process latitude and to be compatible with advanced materials including Cu, low-k and porous low-k materials.
"We are pleased to introduce the new EZStrip product line to the semiconductor industry. These three products and others soon to be released are providing innovative new solvent systems to meet current and future customer requirements," said Eric Tribolet, Product Manager for New Product Development.
All products are currently available through Ashland Specialty Chemical Company.
Ashland's Cleveland Facility Receives Safety Awards
Dublin, OH - The Cleveland (East), Ohio, facility of Ashland Casting Solutions, a business group of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, has been honored with two awards from the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation's (BWC) Division of Safety and Hygiene.
The plant, received a "100% Award" for operating the entire year without a lost-time injury during 2002 and also received an "Achievement Award" for reducing its annual incident rate by 25 percent or more in 2002.
The awards were presented as part of the 2002 Greater Cleveland Safety Campaign, co-sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Safety Council.
"We are honored to receive this recognition from the BWC for these important achievements at our Cleveland East plant," said Mike Swartzlander, vice president, Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, and general manager, Ashland Casting Solutions. "It underscores our company wide commitment to working safely and operating responsibly," he added.
INTERMET TO OPEN SALES AND ENGINEERING OFFICE IN JAPAN
Confirms commitment to support growing base of Asia Pacific-based customers
Troy, Mich., July 30, 2003 - INTERMET Corporation, one of the world's leading manufacturers of cast-metal automotive components, today announced that it will open a Sales and Engineering Office in Japan to support its growing roster of automotive customers based in the Asia-Pacific region. Located in central Tokyo, the new office will further expand INTERMET's engineering and sales support activities and will be networked with the company's other sales and technology centers in the United States and Europe.
INTERMET ANNOUNCES PLANS TO CLOSE RADFORD FOUNDRY
Obsolescence a factor in company's decision to close its last shell-molding plant
Troy, Mich., May 29, 2003 - Citing changes in market conditions and production technology, as well as a substantial investment necessary for continued operation, INTERMET Corporation announced today that it intends to close its Radford Foundry in Radford, Virginia, before the end of this year, with a target date of September 30, 2003.
The facility currently employs 374 people, including hourly and salaried staff, and manufactures gray-iron and ductile-iron castings for the automotive industry. The New River Foundry, located next door to the Radford Foundry, is not affected by this decision.
"We regret the effect that this difficult, but necessary, decision will have on our employees at the Radford Foundry," said Gary Ruff, President and Chief Operating Officer of INTERMET. "However, the INTERMET, as a whole, to remain competitive in an extremely challenging industry environment, we must take this type of action relative to unprofitable operations. Through the first four months of this year, the plant has recorded a pre-tax loss of $1.0 million."
INTERMET TO ACQUIRE REMAINING 50-PERCENT INTEREST IN PORTUGUESE JOINT VENTURE
Move strengthens INTERMET's position in Europe as a leading producer of highly engineered ductile-iron components
Troy, Mich., June 26, 2003 - INTERMET Corporation, one of the world's leading manufacturers of cast-metal automotive components, and Grupo Jorge de Mello of Portugal, announced today that the companies have entered into an agreement for INTERMET to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Fundição Nodular, S.A., a Portuguese foundry company also know as PortCast Foundry. PortCast Foundry expects sales of $35 million in 2003.
INTERMET OPENS EUROPEAN ENGINEERING CENTER
Names Inge Hoegfeldt Technical Director for Europe Operations
Troy, Mich., July 23, 2003 - INTERMET Corporation, one of the world's leading manufacturers of cast-metal automotive components, today announced the establishment of a European Engineering Center based at its European Headquarters in Saarbrücken, Germany.
PEOPLE
Fontana To Head Research & Technology Innovation At Ashland Inc.
DUBLIN, Ohio - Luca P. Fontana has joined Ashland Specialty Chemical Company as vice president of Research & Technology Innovation (R&TI), according to Michael J. Shannon, ASCC senior vice president.
In his new role, Fontana will be responsible for technology innovation for ASCC's core resins businesses in both product development and longer term research and development. He will oversee all aspects of the R&TI group including Analytical and Engineering Research Services, the Pilot Plant (used for product testing and development) and Library & Information Services. He will be based in Dublin, Ohio, and report to Shannon.
"Luca brings with him a strong background in product and technology development that will greatly enhance our capabilities in this important arena," Shannon said. "We expect R&TI to continue to thrive under his experienced leadership."
Fontana comes to Ashland from GE Plastics in Pittsfield, Mass., where he served as manager of Global Technology-Business Development. He has been affiliated with various GE operations since 1986 and has served in several different capacities, including manager of Polyester Technology for GE Plastics Europe in The Netherlands and technology manager for the Crystalline Polymer Products business.
A native of Genoa, Italy, Fontana earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from King College in Bristol, Tenn., and a master's degree and doctorate in organic chemistry from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He holds 25 patents.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Grede Foundries, Inc., has named Todd Sternaman as Group Vice President - Ductile Iron Operations. He will continue to oversee operations of its Reedsburg foundry in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, but also assume responsibility for the St. Cloud foundry in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the New Castle foundry in New Castle, Indiana, and the Wichita foundry in Wichita, Kansas.
Sternaman received a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois-Champaign. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Operations of the Reedsburg foundry in Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
Grede Foundries' facilities include 9 foundries in the United States and a joint-venture operation in Mexico called ProezaGrede. The Company specializes in ferrous metals: gray iron, ductile iron, and steel castings. Grede Foundries works with customers in a variety of industries, providing castings for many products, from automobiles and construction machinery to farm machinery and equipment, and pumps and compressors. For more information, refer to Grede's Web site on the Internet at www.grede.com
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