SUGAR LAND, Texas, Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Arabian American Development Co. (ARSD) today announced that it has named Simon Upfill-Brown to the newly created position of Executive Vice President, effective September 26, 2012. Mr. Upfill-Brown will be responsible for the South Hampton Resources petrochemical business, including diversifying the product line, broadening the customer base and expanding current opportunities both domestically and internationally.

Nick Carter, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are delighted that Simon is joining our Company. He is very well known and respected in the chemical industry. He has multiple-industry experience, from start-ups to multi-national organizations, in managing effective operations for long-term growth and profitability. His extensive operational knowledge and skills, and strategic business planning expertise, combined with a proven ability to identify and capture market opportunities for accelerated expansion, will be key to his effectiveness with our South Hampton Resources unit."

Mr. Upfill-Brown has over 20 years senior level experience in international management of coatings, chemicals and renewable resources. Most notably, from 1993 he was President and CEO of Haltermann Inc., a North American provider of custom chemical manufacturing services to major chemical companies. Haltermann was a subsidiary of Ascot plc until its acquisition by The Dow Chemical Company in June 2001. As General Manager of Dow Haltermann from 2001 - 2008, he successfully integrated operations in four countries from five different entities for the newly formed $230 million global business unit that offered custom manufacturing services to the performance chemical industry. He was effective in blending the entrepreneurial, agile culture of Haltermann with the disciplined, work process-driven culture of Dow. During this time, he grew the EBIT of Dow Haltermann by $70 million in five years. Mr. Upfill-Brown was also CEO of his own consulting firm, as well as CEO of a venture-backed algae-to-fuels company spun out of MIT in 2001, and a technology start-up focused on converting organic waste to hydrocarbon fuels. He began his career in the paint and protective coatings industry. He holds undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mathematical statistics from Stellenbosch University, South Africa and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Mr. Upfill-Brown commented, "I look forward to making a contribution to the Company's near- and long-term strategies and I am eager to help expand the overall business. Arabian American Development Company's petrochemical subsidiary, South Hampton Resources,  has a leadership position, an outstanding reputation for excellence in the specialty petrochemical industry and is well-positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the marketplace."

About Arabian American Development Company (ARSD)

ARSD owns and operates a petrochemical facility located in southeast Texas, just north of Beaumont which specializes in high purity petrochemical solvents and other solvent type manufacturing. The Company is also the original developer and a 37% owner of Al Masane Al Kobra Mining Co., a Saudi Arabian joint stock company..

Safe Harbor

Statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements are based upon management's belief as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Because such statements are based upon expectations as to future economic performance and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ from those projected. These risks, as well as others, are discussed in greater detail in Arabian American's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Arabian American's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and the Company's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.