Ticona Announces Fortron® PPS Plant in North Carolina Sets Production Record to Meet Robust Global Demand
Florence, Ky., Sulzbach, Germany, Shanghai, PR China, - Ticona, the engineering polymers business of Celanese Corporation, today announced the Fortron Industries LLC plant in Wilmington, N.C., set a new production record, positioning it to satisfy the robust global demand in electrical and electronics, automotive, and industrial applications for Fortron® polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).
"By attaining record production, Fortron Industries is demonstrating its commitment to customers who rely on our high-performance polymer," said Fortron Industries President Fred Samz. "We will continue to make sure innovative Fortron PPS grades are available to designers and engineers throughout the world who are creating the next generation of products.
"The Fortron Industries plant in Wilmington, N.C., the world's largest PPS operation, has ramped up production," added Samz. "Customers throughout North and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region can rely on Fortron PPS to be available for use in a wide range of existing applications and an ever increasing number of new applications.
"We're proud that we set our production record during the 20th anniversary of Fortron Industries, a joint venture between Ticona and Kureha Corporation."
Fortron Industries uses PPS production technology that incorporates Kureha's advanced environmentally friendly "one unit" process as well as Ticona's sales, marketing, distribution, compounding and polymer manufacturing expertise.
The joint venture ramped-up production and added new staff at its state-of-the-art Wilmington plant, which has a nameplate capacity of 15,000 metric tons per year, to meet a worldwide demand for its high-performance polymer used in the most demanding applications.
This specialty material offers excellent chemical and thermal resistance, high hardness, rigidity and dimensional stability, and low creep and moisture absorption.
Fortron PPS is a proven high-performance plastic found in various award-winning applications - the first welded thermoplastic composite aircraft primary structure, thermoplastic modular composite seat back assemblies for aircraft and blow-molded charge air pipes for automotive engines. This semi-crystalline polymer is often used to replace metals and thermosets in various applications:
· Automotive - fuel systems, transmission components, water management, air management and electronics
· Electrical / Electronics - sensors, connectors, plugs, switches, sockets, transformers, bobbins and circuit boards
· Aerospace - structural and non-structural aircraft composite components
· Fluid Handing - enhanced oil and gas recovery, pumps and valves, and potable water valves and fittings
· Industrial / Consumer - appliances, HVAC, technical fibers and fabrics for filtration and conveyor system components
"These are exciting times for us as Fortron PPS is increasingly specified as a material of choice by designers worldwide," said Samz.
About Ticona and Celanese
Ticona, the engineering polymers business of Celanese Corporation, produces and markets a broad range of high performance products, and posted net sales of $1,298 million in fiscal 2011. Ticona employs more than 1,500 individuals at production, compounding and research facilities in the USA, Germany, Brazil and China. For more information, please visit www.ticona.com or www.ticona.cn (Chinese language).
Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of specialty materials and chemical products that are used in most major industries and consumer applications. Our products, essential to everyday living, are manufactured in North America, Europe and Asia. Known for operational excellence, sustainability and premier safety performance, Celanese delivers value to customers around the globe with best-in-class technologies. Based in Dallas, Texas, the company employs approximately 7,600 employees worldwide and had 2011 net sales of $6.8 billion, with approximately 73% generated outside of North America. For more information about Celanese Corporation and its global product offerings, visit www.celanese.com or the company's blog at www.celaneseblog.com.
About Kureha Corporation
Kureha Corporation is a leading diversified chemical products manufacturer that has applied its technological development expertise to create original products in fields including advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and packaging materials. To support its mission of "the pursuit of excellence", the Company operates on the principles of its corporate identity: we treasure people and the environment, we constantly evolve through innovation, and we contribute to society by developing beneficial products. Kureha Corporation is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE code 4023) and has manufacturing locations in Japan, China, Vietnam, the Netherlands and the United States. Established in 1944, it now employs approximately 4000 people and had sales of 132 billion yen ($1,591 million) in fiscal 2011. For more information, see www.kureha.co.jp.
Contacts:
Americas:
David Perilstein, Press Relations
+1-518-479-7632
Dperilst@nycap.rr.com
Americas:
Robert Shaw, Manager, B2B Marketing Communications
+1-859-372-3117
Robert.Shaw@Ticona.com
Europe:
Henning Küll, Public Relations Manager
+49-69-45009-1797
Henning.Kuell@Ticona.de
Asia:
Amber Zhao, Marketing Communications
+86-21-3861-9222
tong.zhao@ticona.com
