Eastman wins case, plans to expand copolyester capacity

A federal jury in Texas ruled in favor of Eastman Chemical Company in its lawsuit against PlastiPure, Inc., and its sister company CertiChem, Inc. Through evidence, Eastman proved that false and misleading statements were made against its Tritan? copolyester material.  Eastman always has been confident in the safety of Tritan. The company continues to uphold its reputation of rigorous testing using independent third-party studies that prove Tritan is free of estrogenic activity.

More than 600 food contact products, including food serving and storing items, reusable sports bottles and infant care products are made with Tritan?, which is free of bisphenol A. By using Tritan, these products offer practical and safety-enhancing advantages compared with other plastic materials, such as shatter resistance, toughness, dishwasher durability and clarity.

The growing demand for its Tritan? copolyester material has prompted Eastman to announce plans to increase Tritan? capacity at its Kingsport, Tenn. facility.  Through a series of capital projects, the company plans to expand its capacity from 60 thousand metric tons to 76 thousand metric tons to meet increasing demand for the material. The projects are expected to be completed by mid-2014.

“Eastman continues to experience strong global demand for Tritan,” said Lucian Boldea, vice president and general manager of Advanced Materials-Specialty Plastics at Eastman.  “We are gaining traction in markets such as medical, durable goods and infant care. This investment in Tritan will allow us to maintain our position as the global market leader in copolyesters, and we will continue to evaluate options for more significant expansions in the future. ”