Eastman expanded portfolio on center stage at CHINAPLAS 2017

Eastman Chemical Company presents the popular applications of its leading brands at CHINAPLAS 2017 (May 16-19; China Import & Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou, PR China). At its booth (Hall 12.2 stand M41), the company highlights the wide range of sectors where its well-known brands are applied.

A popular offering from Eastman is Tritan™ copolyester, which has been  well-accepted in the market today due to its versatility and value-added properties. Its additional advantages include easier processing, higher temperature resistance, and higher impact resistance. “Tritan has found success in the United States as well as in Asia, as it has been the material of choice for a growing range of products. In the production of small appliances, the brand answers the call for a performance material that provides clarity while being very tough and safe. Tritan is BPA-free and more than that, it is possible to create different designs out of Tritan,” according to Karen Parsons, Global Marketing Communications Manager at Eastman.

 Ms. Karen Parsons, Global Marketing Communications Manager

The houseware market, especially in food storage, Tritan has met the criteria of manufacturers who want to produce reusable food storage containers that are clear as glass, yet unbreakable while also being safe. “Tritan is valued for its application in food storage containers where demand for packaging items that don’t retain odor and can be dishwasher durable. It also finds use in the production of the beverage sector where demand for reusable or hydration water bottles and items such as drinking glasses has been on the rise. Tritan has been well accepted in the area of infant care as it is the material of choice for baby bottles, sippy cups and pacifiers, as well as in the medical products market where fluid management or medical device housing is an important area,” Ms. Parsons explained.

Balanced properties in sustainable material

CHINAPLAS 2017 marked the first time Eastman launched TRĒVA™, a bioplastic composed of half cellulose, sourced from trees. The high-performing solution provides an excellent balance of properties for a wide variety of applications, enabling manufacturers to shape a better tomorrow in a naturally better way.

Sourced from sustainably managed forests, this engineering bioplastic represents the culmination of nearly 100 years of Eastman’s innovation in cellulosics. “With TRĒVA, Eastman has achieved a breakthrough product in a sustainable material that offers excellent performance,” according to Kevin Duffy, Manager for Business Development, Specialty Plastics at Eastman. Mr. Duffy added that while Eastman has long been offering cellulose ester materials, it is the first time that Eastman has developed a bioplastic that has the balance of properties not readily found in bioplastics available in the market today.

 Mr. Kevin Duffy, Manager for Business Development, Specialty Plastics

TRĒVA has excellent flow characteristics that enable design freedom, allowing it to be used with complicated parts and in filling thin walls. “With this material, a manufacturer of a plastic product, such as this bowl, can innovate with confidence when molding or extruding. The material also has very good dimensional stability which is a traditional problem with bioplastics. Also, it allows for ease in adding various colors, decorating and secondary processing, making it the perfect choice for a host of consumer products,” Mr. Duffy explained.  

The balanced performance of TRĒVA reflects the overall balance of functionalities and chemical resistance properties important in today’s applications such as ophthalmic, wearable electronics, housings and other emerging applications that will now have an option for a bioplastic with engineering performance .