Eastman Expanding Eastman TRITAN Copolyester Capacity

18 Mar 2008 • by Natalie Aster

KINGSPORT, Tenn. -- Eastman Chemical Company announced it is investing in commercial scale operations that will expand production capacity for Eastman Tritan™ copolyester products at its facility in Kingsport, Tenn. The expansion project, expected to be completed by late 2009, includes both the construction of new manufacturing facilities as well as conversion of some existing operations.

This announcement comes just months after the company successfully launched its new-generation copolyester, Tritan. The result of new technology, this innovative material delivers the advantages of traditional copolyesters, such as clarity and chemical resistance, with higher heat resistance, improved design flexibility and ease of processing. These unique attributes offer differentiated performance for brand owners, designers, fabricators, processors and consumers.

"We anticipate continued annual growth of 6 to 8% for the global copolyester market, including our new-generation copolyester, Tritan," said Dante Rutstrom, vice president and general manager of Eastman's specialty plastics business. "This product has been well received by customers and consumers. We are completing this expansion so that we can continue to grow with the market demand in the coming years," Rutstrom said. "The investment will add significant production capacity for Tritan and demonstrates Eastman's commitment to investing in innovative technologies developed in response to market and customer needs."

From housewares and appliances to extruded-sheet applications, this innovative product delivers value for brand owners, processors, and consumers. Tritan has stimulated growing interest in the market and is being used by a number of companies. Two recent commercially launched products made with Tritan are CamelBak® water bottles and Vita-Mix® premium blenders. Brand owners such as these continue to be attracted to the material's toughness, higher temperature resistance, dishwasher durability, and bisphenol-A (BPA) free composition. The characteristics of Tritan are particularly appealing to brand owners who strive to meet constantly evolving consumer needs for differentiated, high-performance products in a variety of industries.

About Eastman Chemical Company

Eastman manufactures and markets chemicals, fibers and plastics worldwide. It provides key differentiated coatings, adhesives and specialty plastics products; is a major supplier of cellulose acetate fibers; and produces PET polymers for packaging. As a Responsible Care® company, Eastman is committed to achieving the highest standards of health, safety, environmental and security performance. Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman is a FORTUNE 500 company with 2007 sales of $6.8 billion and approximately 11,000 employees.