EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Certification

Valvoline World Headquarters Office Earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Certification

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) today announced its Valvoline world headquarters office has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR certification, which signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

During a celebration hosted today at the facility and attended by company, local and state officials, Ashland was commended for its efforts.

“Energy efficiency is the quickest and best step businesses and individuals can take to help Kentucky’s economic growth by keeping energy costs low. Through ENERGY STAR, companies like Ashland are provided the tools and resources so that government, businesses and industry can put energy efficiency to work in the marketplace,” said Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters. “On behalf of Governor Steve Beshear and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I commend Ashland Inc. for their commitment to preserving the environment, reducing energy consumption, and ensuring a healthy, safe work place for years to come.”

“Ashland is pleased to accept the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Michael Cornett, director, facility services. “This achievement reflects our company’s commitment to Responsible Care* and our goal of reducing or eliminating emissions, discharges and wastes from our operations while also promoting energy efficiency and resource conservation. Valvoline now joins two of our offices in Dublin, Ohio, that obtained ENERGY STAR certification in 2010.”

Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, Ashland took the following actions at Valvoline’s office campus:

  • Replaced T-12 fluorescent bulbs with T-8 Fluorescent bulbs; halogen can lights with LEDs; and parking lot lighting with LED fixtures;
  • Added photo cell sensors to certain outdoor lights converting them from 24/7 operation to dusk-to-dawn;
  • Added variable frequency drives to most equipment, allowing the motors to run at a reduced speed rather than 100 percent utilization;
  • Adjusted the operation of the cooling towers to reduce water usage; and
  • Replaced a gas-fired boiler and hot-water tank with high-efficiency boilers, and rebuilt a 300-ton chiller adding a frequency drive.

“We have worked extremely hard over the past to few years to identify and implement modifications to drive energy efficiency. In addition to our electrical and mechanical changes, our employees have assisted our efforts by focusing on energy conservation and waste reduction,” said Tim Heaberlin, manager, facility services.

EPA’s ENERGY STAR energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA’s 1-100 scale may be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 65 different kinds of products, 1.4 million new homes, and 20,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants that meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Visit www.energystar.gov/labeledbuildings for more information about ENERGY STAR Certification for Commercial Buildings.

About Ashland
Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) is a global leader in providing specialty chemical solutions to customers in a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, personal care and pharmaceutical. Through our three commercial units – Ashland Specialty Ingredients, Ashland Performance Materials and Valvoline – we use good chemistry to make great things happen for customers in more than 100 countries. Visit ashland.com to learn more.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Gary Rhodes
Director, Corporate Communications
Ashland Inc.
+1 (859) 815-3047
glrhodes@ashland.com

Dick Brown
Executive Director
Office of Communications and Public Outreach
EEC/PPC/Labor Cabinet
502-564-5525
Dick.Brown@ky.gov

* Trademark owned by a third party

ISSA/INTERCLEAN® Innovation Award

Tennant Company’s Orbio Technologies Group Wins 2014 ISSA/INTERCLEAN® Innovation Award for os3 On-Site Generation (OSG) System

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 13, 2014—Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC), a world leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing solutions that help create a cleaner, safer, healthier world announced that its Orbio Technologies Group’s Orbio® os3 system was honored November 7 with the prestigious 2014 ISSA Innovation Award in the Dispensers category at the ISSA Excellence Awards Ceremony at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America trade show in Orlando, Florida. Tennant Company was also a recognized recipient of the ISSA Member Milestones for their 40-year membership.

The Orbio® os3 system replaces conventional, multi-colored and fragranced daily-use chemicals with a multi-purpose cleaner and a one-step cleaner-disinfectant/sanitizer generated on site. Compact, affordable, simple—the os3 makes cleaning processes more efficient, streamlines training, and helps improve health and safety. It also decreases the environmental footprint associated with conventional packaged chemicals by reducing packaging and transportation.

“The os3 helps customers simplify their processes by replacing multiple cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing chemicals with two chemicals made at their facilities: a versatile multi-purpose cleaner and a solution that disinfects and sanitizes,” explained Karla Leis, Vice President and General Manager of Orbio Technologies Group. “Our customers appreciate the design of the system. It’s easy for operators to use, fits in most janitorial supply closets, and can be expanded throughout a facility with our unique os3 satellite system.”

“Orbio Technologies is proud of this award, which acknowledges our leadership role in the emerging OSG category. Our industry has recognized the game-changing innovation represented in the os3,” said Leis. “As the OSG product category grows, Orbio Technologies will continue to assist our customers and partners in realizing the many benefits that come with adopting the Orbio os3 and moving toward OSG, the inevitable future of cleaning,” added Leis.

ISSA Innovation Awards winners were selected by cleaning-industry distributors, wholesalers, building service contractors, and in-house service professionals who cast their votes for the most innovative products among 51 entries across five categories: Cleaning Agents, Dispensers, Equipment, Services and Technology, and Supplies.

About ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2014 Show
ISSA/INTERCLEAN® was a global exhibition which brought together more than 16,000 cleaning-industry leaders in Orlando, FL, November 4-7, 2014. The exhibition was hosted by ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, and its partner Amsterdam RAI. For more information, visit www.issa.com.

About Tennant Company
Minneapolis-based Tennant Company (TNC) is a world leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing solutions that help create a cleaner, safer, healthier world. Its products include equipment for maintaining surfaces in industrial, commercial and outdoor environments; chemical-free and other sustainable cleaning technologies; and coatings for protecting, repairing and upgrading surfaces. Tennant’s global field service network is the most extensive in the industry. Tennant has manufacturing operations in Minneapolis, Minn.; Holland, Mich.; Louisville, Ky.; Uden, The Netherlands; the United Kingdom; São Paulo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China; and sells products directly in 15 countries and through distributors in more than 80 countries. For more information, visitwww.tennantco.com.

About Orbio Technologies Group
Orbio Technologies Group is the sustainable cleaning technology arm of Tennant Company. Established in 2009 to execute Tennant Company’s vision of becoming a global leader in chemical-free and other sustainable cleaning technologies, Orbio Technologies Group is dedicated to developing and marketing environmentally friendly technologies under the brand name of Orbio® that will set the standard for sustainable cleaning around the world. Orbio Technologies Group will continue to create and deliver sustainable cleaning solutions to Tennant’s existing markets and new markets. For more information, visit www.orbio.com.