October 16, 2006 -- Ashland Casting Solutions has named Shigeo Negoro as its new commercial director for Asia. Ashland Casting Solutions is a business group of Ashland Performance Materials, a division of Ashland Inc.

Negoro joined Hodogaya Chemical Company Ltd. in 1970. After various assignments of increasing responsibilities he was named president of the Hodogaya Ashland Company Ltd. in 2001.

Ashland recently took control of that joint venture, which had been established over 20 years ago.

Negoro also will lead the new Ashland Casting Solutions Japan as part of his role as commercial director.

“I am extremely pleased to make this announcement,” said Mike Swartzlander. “Shigeo brings a wealth of experience to Ashland, and we look forward to him joining our castings leadership team as we expand our operations in the Asia region,” stated Mike Swartzlander, general manager of Ashland Casting Solutions and vice president, Ashland Performance Materials.