Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc., and Hercules Incorporated, a subsidiary of Ashland Inc., has announced that they have entered into a joint development agreement for CRAiLEXä high-grade dissolving pulp.

CRAiLEX is the brand name for the purified pulp created from a patented process that is exclusively held by Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. In recent tests, CRAiLEX has proven to exhibit higher-grade value pulps than any other hard- or soft-wood pulps. The pulps are used by Ashland to create its line of cellulosic products for multiple industries.

"This is the start of our CRAiLEX technology roll out," said Ken Barker, CEO of NAT. "In the same manner and strategy we employed to bring our CRAiLAR(r) technology to commercialization, partnering with an industry leader such as Ashland Inc. is a key milestone in the development of CRAiLEX. We are extremely proud of the opportunity and partnership potential in working with Ashland."

Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc.
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. develops renewable and environmentally sustainable biomass resources from flax, hemp and other bast fibers. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, CRAiLAR(r) Fiber Technologies Inc., has developed proprietary technologies for production of bast fibers, cellulose pulp, and their resulting by-products in collaboration with Canada's National Research Council and the Alberta Innovates. CRAiLAR technology offers cost-effective and environmentally sustainable processing and production of natural, bast fibers resulting in increased performance characteristics for use in textile, industrial, energy, medical and composite material applications. The Company was founded in 1998 as a provider of environmentally friendly, socially responsible clothing. For more information, visit www.naturallyadvanced.com.