Clariant to feature leading moisture solutions for furniture at IFFS 2015 in Singapore

• Cargo desiccants Container Dri® II specially designed to absorb moisture from air during shipping
• Local production in Southeast Asia with different configurations to meet the needs of Singapore's expanding exports market

Singapore, March 12, 2015 – Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, will feature its leading desiccant products alongside the Southeast Asia-produced line of container desiccants, Container Dri® II dedicated to the furniture market in Singapore at the annual International Furniture Fair Singapore 2015 (IFFS 2015) and ASEAN Furniture Show to be held on March 13-16, 2015 at the Singapore Expo site.

Singapore and IFFS are considered by many to be the one-stop sourcing platform for the global furniture market, with an unparalleled reach in terms of both manufacturers and buyers. And, as the 14th largest furniture exporter in the world and the 5th in Asia, products manufactured in Singapore are becoming increasingly popular overseas. This translates to a rising number of products making arduous journeys destined for overseas markets.

During these journeys — often weeks-long — the uncontrolled humidity and condensation that products are exposed to will easily compromise the integrity of goods, especially furniture products, which are often made of moisture-sensitive materials such as wood, bamboo, and other natural materials, plus equally sensitive fabrics and padding materials. Mold, corrosion, spoilage and warping are just some of the harmful effects caused by moisture during transportation, whether it is via shipping container, rail, barge or truck.

Available in bags, poles and strips, Clariant's Container Dri II portfolio offers a comprehensive line of container desiccants that provide versatile protection against damaging humidity and moisture during intermodal transport. Aggressively absorbing up to three times their weight in moisture, these industry-leading products trap dampness as a thick gel that will not spill or drip, reducing relative humidity to less than 40 percent.

Container Dri II products prevent "container rain" for up to 90 days by reducing dangerous dew point levels. They are effective even when there is a large volume of space requiring moisture removal, whether the climate, cargo or storage conditions cause high levels of humidity, or if the shipping container is not fully closed, admitting exterior air and humidity. Plus, they are non-toxic and therefore, easy to discard by traditional waste disposal means.

"China, Indonesia and Vietnam are the world's 3 largest furniture manufacturing and exporting countries, with their well crafted furniture making the daily sea journey from Asia to ports in Europe and America. Our Container Dri II desiccants protect exporters' furniture from mold and moisture corrosion during their long journey to their destinations. With our production facilities of Container Dri II in Indonesia and China, we would like to offer our customers a viable and cost effective option to protect their cargoes," said Menghwee Toh, Head of Sales for Clariant CDP Asia, BL Absorbents, BU Functional Minerals.

More than 25,000 international buyers from 100 countries are expected to attend IFFS 2015, considered to be Asia's premier furniture exhibition, which features more than 500 exhibitors from 26 countries. Clariant's sales team and technical experts from the Business Unit FM Cargo & Device Protection(CDP) will be available at booth 6A-8A in Hall 6 at the Singapore Expo to greet visitors and introduce them to Container Dri during IFFS.