Huntsman to Reveal Hidden Strengths at Middle East Coatings Show

Everberg, Belgium – Huntsman, one of the world’s largest chemical companies, will demonstrate its growing commitment to the Middle East region when it unveils some of its latest technologies at the Middle East Coatings Show – the dedicated regional coatings event for raw materials suppliers and equipment manufacturers.

Three Huntsman Group companies – Polyurethanes, Advanced Materials and Performance Products – will reveal how their innovative chemistries can enable new coating applications, improve product performance and reduce environmental impact across a range of industry sectors. Particular focus will be placed upon technologies that can help protect offshore and marine applications; oil and gas pipelines; and steel and concrete structures.

Among the attractions will be a revolutionary new masterbatch system from Huntsman Advanced Materials that enables formulators to create high opacity, white hybrid powder coatings with 50% less material than standard technologies. Providing the ultimate in hidden strength, the new system contains up to 70% on weight of titanium dioxide (TiO2) dispersed in a revolutionary way in an epoxy resin. Full opacity of the coating (containing 30% of TiO2 on final formulation) can be reached at 45-50 micron film thickness. When applied at usual film thickness, the same opacity can be achieved by replacing up to 40% of the TiO2 with cheaper fillers. In addition, the unique qualities of the patent pending process means formulators can be confident that increasing the total pigment/filler content will not compromise flow, mechanical or optical properties. A technical overview of this system will open proceedings at the MEC conference. Coatings specialist Martin Gerlitz will give a presentation entitled “Ultimate Hiding Power in Hybrid Powder Coatings” on Monday 29th March at 2:00pm in Room F19 on the Abu Dhabi A First Floor of the convention centre.

Other technologies from Huntsman Advanced Materials will include:
• A rejuvenated, environmentally friendly Aradur® epoxy curing agent portfolio that contains no nonyl phenol, bisphenol A, bisphenol F or phenol accelerators
• A complete portfolio of high-performance Araldite® waterborne epoxy resins and curing agents, including a newly developed ‘Type 1’ epoxy resin dispersion for various applications
• New Aradur® rapid cure products for use in high solids protective and marine coating applications.

To meet growing demand for innovative coating products that combine cost benefits with performance excellence, Huntsman Polyurethanes has developed two new grades of SUPRASEC. The latest pre-polymers to emerge from Huntsman’s MDI portfolio are ideal for use in the formulation of coatings and primers that need to give rugged, long-lasting protection across a range of applications:
• SUPRASEC 2416 enables the production of fast-drying, one-component, moisture-cure primers and coatings that can be applied at low temperatures, resulting in significant time and energy savings. Its low viscosity means it can penetrate porous or roughened substrates quickly, providing a fast recoat window of just one hour.
• SUPRASEC 9584 can be used in the formulation of two-component, super low viscosity PU-Urea primers that need to penetrate and adhere to porous substrates like concrete and wood. With a long pot life of 45 to 60 minutes and a recoat window of between 24 and 48 hours, SUPRASEC 9584 can be used for primers and coatings required for large-scale industrial flooring applications. It can be applied to moist and humid substrates without foaming and offers resistance to abrasion combined with good physical properties.

Other products displayed by Huntsman Polyurethanes will include a comprehensive portfolio of MDI-based polyurea and polyurethane systems that can be tailored to customers' protective coating requirements. Supporting a wide range of formulations and offering excellent physical properties – such as good adhesion to steel and concrete substrates – these products are suitable for many different application methods and enable coating manufacturers to deliver cost-effective solutions. Specific highlights will include a polyurea system that cures quickly without a catalyst, has lower reaction activation energy and offers a broad temperature application range plus good chemical resistance and higher temperature stability.

Systems on display from Huntsman Performance Products, a leader in speciality amines and other intermediates, will include:
• New JEFFAMINE® SD amines and JEFFLINK® chain extenders for polyurea spray elastomer system formulators
• An environmentally friendly, solvent-based technology platform that can replace toxic materials in paints, coatings, cleaning and paint-stripping solutions - JEFFSOL® alkylene carbonates
• EMPIMIN® MA-80, ID-65 and TR-70, a new range of speciality surfactants and sulphosuccinate wetting agents, including a new generation of proprietary APE-free surfactants for emulsion polymerization and waterborne applications
• A new bio-based chemical: JEFFSOL® glycerin carbonate, a proprietary non-VOC difunctional cyclic carbonate which can serve as an intermediate for resin binder technology and solvents and as a monomer for polymer modifications.

Shenoy Muralidhara, Country Manager for Huntsman in Dubai said, “The Middle East Coatings show is a key event in the Huntsman calendar. We've always found it a great platform on which to build stronger relationships with our customers, partners and prospects in the region. Despite global economic circumstances since the 2008 show, we have continued our commitment to research and development. This means we've got a lot of exciting new products and technologies ready to show customers that can enable the development of ground-breaking coating applications. As part of our ongoing strategy to expand our business in the Middle East and better serve local and global customers, we look forward to another lively and productive event."

Huntsman has a large customer base in the GCC markets including Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The company also caters for customers in other states in the region. Warehousing, sales and distribution activities are carried out at its regional base in Dubai.

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About Huntsman:
Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals.  Its operating companies manufacture products for a variety of global industries, including chemicals, plastics, automotive, aviation, textiles, footwear, paints and coatings, construction, technology, agriculture, health care, detergent, personal care, furniture, appliances and packaging. Originally known for pioneering innovations in packaging and, later, for rapid and integrated growth in petrochemicals, Huntsman today has 12,000 employees and operates from multiple locations worldwide. The Company had 2008 revenues in excess of $10 billion.  For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company’s website at www.huntsman.com.

Forward Looking Statements:
Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company’s operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed in the Huntsman companies’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors.  In addition, the completion of any transactions described in this release is subject to a number of uncertainties and closing will be subject to approvals and other customary conditions. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that such transactions will be completed or that the company’s expectations will be realized. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws.

ARALDITE®, ARADUR®, EMPIMIN®, SUPRASEC, JEFFAMINE®, JEFFLINK®, and JEFFSOL® are all registered trademarks of Huntsman Corporation or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all, countries.

CONTACTS:
Media:
Ilse Vanden Brande (PU) + 32 2 7589420
Patricia Albisser (Ad.Mat) + 41 612991296
Michael Scharf (P.Prod) + 32 2 7589884

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