Kingsport, Tenn. October 20, 2011 Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) recently received the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE) Industrial Research and Development Award for 2011, one of AIChEs most prestigious awards, for the successful development and commercialization of Eastman Tritan" copolyester. AIChE holds the Institute and Board of Directors Awards Ceremony to honor eminent chemical engineers for career accomplishments, service to society, and service to the institute. Dr. Greg Nelson, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, accepted the award on behalf of Eastman. In remarks he acknowledged the many employees who contributed to Tritans success.
First commercialized in 2007, Eastman Tritan" copolyester was developed in just four years. The products success is a testimony to the creativity, expertise, and dedication of hundreds of Eastman employees working together to bring new options to a competitive market. The team met each challenge that arose, from design of the polymer to rapid semi-works and plant development, to product qualification. Today, Tritan is used for diverse applications in several markets including sports water bottles, small appliances and consumer housewares, as well as medical devices and packaging. Interest in the product led Eastman to expand: in May 2010, Eastman celebrated the grand opening of a new plant exclusively dedicated to the production of Tritan at its headquarters in Kingsport, Tenn., U.S.A.
First commercialized in 2007, Eastman Tritan" copolyester was developed in just four years. The products success is a testimony to the creativity, expertise, and dedication of hundreds of Eastman employees working together to bring new options to a competitive market. The team met each challenge that arose, from design of the polymer to rapid semi-works and plant development, to product qualification. Today, Tritan is used for diverse applications in several markets including sports water bottles, small appliances and consumer housewares, as well as medical devices and packaging. Interest in the product led Eastman to expand: in May 2010, Eastman celebrated the grand opening of a new plant exclusively dedicated to the production of Tritan at its headquarters in Kingsport, Tenn., U.S.A.
Eastman employees formally recognized during the awards ceremony included Nelson; Dr. Chris Killian, Director Specialty Coatings and Polymers Technology; Mark Costa, Executive Vice President; Dr. Emmett Crawford, Senior Research Associate; Dr. David Porter, Group Leader Molding Applications Development; Dr. Tony Messina, Senior Associate; Dr. Ted Germroth, Senior Fellow; Dr. Dante Rutstrom, Vice President and General Manager Specialty Plastics; and Dr. Lucian Boldea and Burt Capel, business directors for special plastics.
About Eastman Tritan" copolyester. Tritan is a new-generation copolyester that delivers a unique balance of properties, including ease of processing, clarity, toughness, and heat and chemical resistance, and is also free of bisphenol A (BPA).
About AIChE. AIChE is a professional association of 40,000 chemical engineers in 92 countries. Its members work in corporations, universities and government using their knowledge of chemical processes to develop safe and useful products for the benefit of society. Through its varied programs, AIChE continues to be a focal point for information exchange on the frontiers of chemical engineering research in such areas as nanotechnology, sustainability, new energy sources, biological and environmental engineering, and chemical plant safety and security. More information about AIChE is available at www.aiche.org.