Grace Celebrates Thirty Years in Thailand

W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE:GRA) is marking its 30th anniversary of business activity in Thailand.

W. R. Grace (Thailand) Limited was incorporated on July 22, 1979 and began manufacturing operations in 1982. The company currently has 72 employees located at a manufacturing plant in the Bangpoo Industrial Estate of Samutprakarn (near Bangkok).

The facility produces can sealants and coatings for the packaged food and beverage industries and cement additives and concrete admixtures for the construction industry. The site supports the local Thai market and serves as an export base for customers throughout Asia Pacific. Employees at the site utilize Six Sigma training and tools to deliver productivity gains.

“Our colleagues in Thailand have become important members of the company’s global network,” commented Fred Festa, Grace’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “They are supporting customers and colleagues in the region and around the world.”

In conjunction with the anniversary, the site is celebrating several environment, health and safety (EHS) distinctions, including surpassing 16 years without a lost time accident and earning certification to the Grace EHS Management System.

The EHS Management System sets performance expectations to ensure continuous EHS improvement and addresses hazards and risks, training and communication, operational controls, compliance management, community and product stewardship, and periodic internal reviews. The certification involved a multi-step audit of the facility’s EHS activities by a third-party registrar.

The site had earned certification earlier to ISO 9001-2000, an internationally recognized quality management system standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Tuangtip Punthanitisarn, Bangpoo Operations Manager, remarked, “Our accomplishments are only possible with a safety first philosophy.” The site has held safety stand down days and worked with customers on similar events that are focused on training and topics, such as fire prevention. She added, “I am extremely proud of this team and want to thank them for their dedication over the years.”

The site also has a focus on corporate social responsibility. Most recently, they supported local blood drives, planted trees, purchased school supplies and participated in a community “Sports Day” health activity.

Grace is a leading global supplier of catalysts and other products to petroleum refiners; catalysts for the manufacture of plastics; silica-based engineered and specialty materials for a wide range of industrial applications; sealants and coatings for food and beverage packaging, and specialty chemicals, additives and building materials for commercial and residential construction. With annual sales of more than $3 billion, Grace has about 6,000 employees and operations in over 40 countries. For more information, visit Grace's web site at www.grace.com.

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