Huntsman to showcase sustainable technologies at MECS 2008

Middle East Coatings Show (MECS) 2008, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center, UAE

10 - 12 March 2008 – Huntsman Stand C4, Hall 8

Building on its success at the 2006 Middle East Coatings Show (MECS), Huntsman is returning to the largest dedicated coatings event for the Middle East and Gulf region to showcase latest innovations from its comprehensive range of coatings, paint, ink and adhesive solutions.

During the three-day event, four different Huntsman divisions will demonstrate their technical and commercial expertise focusing on core products that employ epoxy, methacrylate, polyurethane, polyurea, amines, alkylene carbonates, dispersants, surfactants and titanium dioxide chemistries. Particular emphasis will be given to Huntsman's environmentally-friendly coating formulations and the benefits they can offer customers in the Middle East.

Representatives from Huntsman Advanced Materials will be on hand to discuss the division's continued development of sustainable technologies, which have been designed to meet current and future environmental regulations relating to the use of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in coating products. Products on display will include waterborne, high solids, solvent-free and powder technologies, all of which are suitable for use in architecture, marine, transportation, adhesives, coatings and elastomers, and heavy-duty industries. A paper on waterborne and high solid primer systems will also be given at the Exhibitor Business Presentation sessions.

Huntsman Polyurethanes will use the event to highlight its ongoing partnership with Alberdingk Boley, one of Europe's leading producers of water-based systems for coatings. Officially launched at ECS 2007, the alliance aims to bring a new level of innovation to the global flooring market with the introduction of new concepts for two-pack, VOC-free coatings. Based on Huntsman Polyurethanes' advanced MDI-technology and Alberdingk Boley's Albodur® 912 VP polyols, the resulting product enables the creation of bespoke, high performance flooring solutions that meet increasingly stringent VOC legislation.

The team from Huntsman Performance Products will use the event to highlight its range of innovative products for protective and architectural coatings, designed to bring manufacturing and performance benefits to coating formulators. For the protective coatings market, these include JEFFLINK® diamine chain extenders for polyurethane and polyurea elastomers, plus a series of new secondary aliphatic JEFFAMINE® SD amines which are capable of slowing down the cure speed of polyurea and polyurethane elastomeric coating systems. For the architectural coatings market, developments include the EMPIMIN® PCN speciality surfactants series for APE replacement, plus a new amine neutraliser which can assist with dispersion and stabilisation as well as controlling the pH of latexes. The team will also use the event to display its range of JEFFSPERSE® polymeric dispersants designed for universal use in both organic and carbon black pigment dispersions for aqueous printing inks, industrial coatings and pigment concentrates.

Huntsman Pigments will focus on two key products from within the company's TIOXIDE® titanium dioxide portfolio – a world leading brand of titanium dioxide pigments that provide brilliant whiteness, opacity and protection for a diverse range of coatings applications. Products under the spotlight will include; TIOXIDE® TR81 pigment, which gives excellent colour, brightness, opacity and durability and has been specifically developed for high performance industrial coatings; and TIOXIDE® R-TC90 pigment,which is principally used for decorative paints and has been engineered to provide exceptional gloss and tinting strength, and brilliant whiteness.

If you are attending the Middle East Coatings Show and would like to arrange an interview with a technical expert from Huntsman please contact Kim Bithel / Nick Tapper / Natalie Yates at the Huntsman press office on: +44 (0) 1223 884600 / +44 (0)7917 116983 or by email at firstname.lastname@war.uk.com . Alternatively, go to www.huntsman.com for more information.