出售的品牌包括Car BriteTM和Eagle OneTM汽车美容产品，以及PyroilTM等汽车养护化学品
2015年4月8日
肯塔基州，卡温顿市——亚什兰集团（纽约证交所：ASH）和Highlander
Partners旗下新成立的子公司Niteo Products今日宣布，双方已达成一项最终协议，Niteo将收购胜牌汽车护理产品相关资产，包括位于密西西比州埃尔南多的产品制造和分销网点。该笔交易预计在90天内完成，具体成交时间取决于标准成交条件。该笔交易的财务条款尚未披露。
截至2014年12月31日的12个月中，胜牌的总销售额为20亿美元，其中汽车护理产品的销售额占比不到4%。这些汽车护理产品包括如下品牌：
- Car Brite——专业汽车美容产品，如通过Do-It-For-Me (DIFM)渠道销售的清洁剂和除油剂
- Eagle One——汽车美容消费产品，如通过Do-It-Yourself (DIY)渠道销售的清洁剂和除油剂
- Pyroil——汽车养护全系列化学品
胜牌旗下通过DIY渠道销售的独立品牌车用养护化学品同样属于协议规定的出售项目。汽车护理产品部门共有约140名员工，其中有120人都在密西西比州的制造和分销网点工作。
“出售这一非战略资产所获得的收益将用于再投资，如继续扩展胜牌快速换油中心门店，帮助我们的核心润滑油业务实现更加快速的盈利性增长，”亚什兰集团高级副总裁兼胜牌总裁Sam Mitchell说道，“我们的汽车护理业务团队十分优秀，我相信在Highlander收购后，团队定位会更加明确，从而在专业汽车美容产品及化学品细分市场取得增长。”
亚什兰集团董事长兼首席执行官William A. Wulfsohn表示：“胜牌具有良好的盈利能力，将继续保持出色的业绩。我们打算继续投资胜牌的核心业务，以获得更高的收益。”
Highlander管理合伙人兼Niteo董事长Jeff L. Hull表示：“我们将投资定位于消费品和特种化学品行业已经有一段时间了。作为一个着眼于长期投资的投资团队，我们相信汽车化学品细分市场能为公司提供实现长期增长的绝佳机遇。此外，胜牌打造了一批非凡的产品、强大的品牌、以及高质量的制造和分销网点，这为建立一个实力雄厚的‘购买和建设’平台提供了基础。”
Niteo新任首席执行官Allen D. Schaar评价说：“在我们审视该业务潜力的时候，销售这些产品的分销合作伙伴所具备的强大实力给我们留下了极其深刻的印象。此外，该业务团队由优秀的专业人员组成，他们充满激情，渴望在汽车化学品行业取得成功，这让我们感到兴奋。我们期待与这支充满才华和活力的团队、我们的重要渠道合作伙伴以及战略供应商合作，共同将这一业务打造成行业领头羊。”
关于Highlander Partners
Highlander
Partners有限合伙企业是一家位于达拉斯的私人投资公司，管理的资产价值超过10亿美元。公司专注于对目标行业中的业务进行投资，公司负责人在这些行业中拥有丰富的运营和投资经验，包括基础制造业、食品、化学品、建筑材料、消费品等。Highlander Partners采用“购买和建设”投资策略，帮助各公司通过结构调整和并购实现增长，创造价值。欲了解更多信息，请登录
www.highlander-partners.com。
关于亚什兰
亚什兰集团（纽约证交所：ASH）是全球提供消费特种化学品和工业特种化学品解决方案的领军企业，所服务的行业包括建筑涂料、汽车、建筑、能源、食品和饮料、个人护理、制药等领域。旗下三大业务部门：亚什兰特种添加剂、亚什兰高性能材料和胜牌为全球100多个国家和地区的客户提供创新的解决方案，不断推出优质化学品，呈现精彩生活。欲了解更多信息，请登陆
ashland.com。
- 0 -
C-ASH
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. Ashland has identified some of these forward-looking statements
with words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,” “is
likely,” “predicts,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “should” and “intends” and the
negative of these words or other comparable terminology. In addition, Ashland
may from time to time make forward-looking statements in its annual report,
quarterly reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC), news releases and other written and oral communications. These
forward-looking statements are based on Ashland’s expectations and assumptions,
as of the date such statements are made, regarding Ashland’s future operating
performance and financial condition, the economy and other future events or circumstances.
Ashland’s expectations and assumptions include, without limitation, internal
forecasts and analyses of current and future market conditions and trends,
management plans and strategies, operating efficiencies and economic conditions
(such as prices, supply and demand, cost of raw materials, and the ability to
recover raw-material cost increases through price increases), and risks and
uncertainties associated with the following: Ashland’s substantial indebtedness
(including the possibility that such indebtedness and related restrictive
covenants may adversely affect Ashland’s future cash flows, results of operations,
financial condition and its ability to repay debt); the impact of acquisitions
and/or divestitures Ashland has made or may make (including the possibility
that Ashland may not realize the anticipated benefits from such transactions);
the global restructuring program (including the possibility that Ashland may not
achieve the anticipated revenue and earnings growth, cost reductions, and other
expected benefits from the program), Ashland’s ability to generate sufficient
cash to finance its stock repurchase plans, severe weather, natural disasters,
and legal proceedings and claims (including environmental and asbestos matters).
Various risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially
from those stated, projected or implied by any forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties affecting Ashland that
are contained in its most recent Form 10-K (including Item 1A Risk Factors)
filed with the SEC, which is available on Ashland’s website at
http://investor.ashland.com or on the SEC’s website at 3 www.sec.gov. Ashland
believes its expectations and assumptions are reasonable, but there can be no assurance
that the expectations reflected herein will be achieved. Unless legally
required, Ashland undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking
statements made in this news release whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
----------------
更多信息，请联系
亚什兰媒体关系
Gary Rhodes
+1 (859) 815-3047
glrhodes@ashland.com
亚什兰投资者关系
Jason Thompson
+1 (859) 815-4454
jlthompson@ashland.com
