Industry Association Recognizes APAC-Texas, Inc. Buster Paving Division for Safe Operations

ATLANTA, May 28, 2003 -- The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) recently recognized APAC-Texas, Inc.'s Buster Paving Division for its outstanding safety program. APAC-Texas, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ashland Inc. . The Buster Paving Division is based in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and operates in northeast Texas, southern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. The division is headed up by Scott Sarine, and Jay Owens is the division's environment, health and safety manager.

Buster Paving was recognized in the highway division for companies who have worked 100,000 to 500,000 hours without a work site fatality or multi-catastrophic injury. The award was presented at AGC's annual convention, held in Honolulu earlier this year.

"This award acknowledges the efforts of all of our division's team members and recognizes their commitment to safety," Sarine said. "The 'safety culture' that pervades our division has its roots at the headquarters level. Our president, Charles Potts, has established safety as our company's No. 1 priority, and it provides a clear focus for us in our every job."

"I have the privilege to work at a company with a 100-percent commitment to safety by its management, as well as a work force that has willingly 'bought in' to our safety program," Owens said. "I'm honored that the AGC recognized the hard work of all our employees and their total commitment to operating safely."

The AGC annual Safety Excellence Awards Program recognizes outstanding safety programs of contractors across the country, and examines each contractor's commitment and approach to safety and health, as well as their statistical results for the year. Special attention is given to the contractor's safety training program, active employee involvement, evidence of management commitment and innovation. Finalists are evaluated by an independent panel of judges consisting of owner representatives, federal and state OSHA administrators and insurance brokers. Awards are presented only to those contractors that exceeded the program criteria. Buster Paving was the only company recognized in its category.

The APAC group of construction companies is one of the nation's leading providers of publicly funded highway construction services. Operating in 14 Southern and Midwestern states, APAC's assets include 36 quarries, 61 aggregate production facilities, 67 ready-mix concrete plants, 242 hot-mix asphalt plants and more than 16,500 pieces of mobile equipment that help the company's 11,000 employees get the job done on time and on budget. The APAC group of construction companies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ashland Inc.

Ashland Inc. is a Fortune 500 company providing products, services and customer solutions throughout the world. Our businesses include road construction, specialty chemicals, lubricants, car-care products, chemical and plastics distribution and transportation fuels. Through the dedication of our employees, we are "The Who In How Things Work(TM)." Find us at www.ashland.com .

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