Eastman Chemical Company plans to launch several new amorphous polyolefin (APO) product grades later this year. Changes being made at the Longview, TX, site for manufacture of these new APO product grades include upgrading capabilities to deliver molten product to our customers and improvements of existing equipment to handle new product production.
With Eastman’s first new polyolefin product launches in several years, the company expects to offer butene-free innovative APO grades for use in the hygiene and packaging markets in the second half of 2015. These new products will meet global market demand for low odor and lower temperature sprayability.
“Targeted innovation efforts based on market and customer insights have added newly developed APO grades for hygiene and packaging to our portfolio,” says JP Kuijpers, Adhesives Business Director for the Adhesives & Plasticizers business segment. “In addition, we are enhancing our capability to deliver molten product to our customers, enabling them to reduce conversion costs dramatically.”
Eastman has a long history of reliability and quality in the production of amorphous polyolefins for several markets, including hot melt adhesives, roofing, and flooring. With abundant ethylene and propylene feedstock available, and a fully integrated manufacturing position, Eastman’s polyolefins business is well positioned to deliver additional innovative products that improve the capabilities of olefin-based adhesives worldwide.
