Ashland Inc.'s review of noncore assets has led the firm to sell its line of Modifier-brand plastics additives to Plasticolors Inc. of Ashtabula, Ohio.
No purchase price was disclosed in the deal, which includes technology and formulations but no hard assets. Plasticolors and Ashland, Ky.-based Ashland had been friendly competitors in the additives market for several years, said Plasticolors Chief Operating Officer Scott Becker.
``We've made inhibitor [additive] solutions for 20-plus years, so this is an extension of an existing product line for us,'' Becker said March 18 by telephone.
Ashland spokesman Jim Vitak said the Modifier line ``meshes better'' with Plasticolors' business than it does with Ashland's future strategy.
Plasticolors began producing the Modifier product line at its Ashtabula plant in early March. Ashland had made the product in Ashland, Ohio.
The product primarily is sold to polyester resin makers, which use it to keep styrene from polymerizing, and to makers of sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound, which use it to slow down polymerization before their products are molded.
Plasticolors and Ashland have worked together in a number of areas, including an ultraviolet-light stabilizer for polyester that was commercialized in early 2002, Becker said.
Privately held Plasticolors does not release annual sales. The firm employs 135 and does most of its business in providing liquid color and additives dispersions into thermoset plastics and industrial coatings.
Ashland also operates Ashland Distribution, a Dublin,Ohio-based unit that includes resin distributor General Polymers.