Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, Tenn.; www.eastman.com) announced a planned expansion of its copolyester site in Kuantan, Malaysia. The expansion is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2018 and will increase PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified ) capacity by approximately 20%. This investment supports the continued growth of copolyester products globally and provides flexibility across the company’s polymer asset base.
“This expansion positions Eastman to meet the increasing global demand we’re seeing for our copolyester materials,” said Burt Capel, vice president and general manager of Eastman’s Specialty Plastics business. “This investment further solidifies Eastman’s commitment to the Asia Pacific region and to providing our customers around the world with the highest quality materials in the market.”
Specialty Plastics is a part of Eastman’s Advanced Materials business segment. Eastman’s Kuantan, Malaysia site produces several copolyesters, including Eastman Spectar and Eastman Eastar copolyesters.