US Eastman completes Tritan expansion, plans other copolyester projects

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Eastman Chemical completed the expansion of its Tritan copolyester plant, and it plans to add more capacity to two other copolyesters, the US-based producer said on Wednesday.

The Tritan expansion took place in Kingsport, Tennessee. Earlier, the company said the project involved an additional 60,000 tonnes/year of capacity.

Eastman is now planning to expand Kingsport capacity for two other copolyesters, glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) and glycol-modified polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate (PCTG).

When the project is completed in the third quarter of 2018, total capacity for the two copolyester will expand by 25%, Eastman said. The company markets various grades of these copolyesters as Eastar, Spectar and Aspira.

Eastman did not specify the cost of the projects or specify the number of tonnes it would add for each of the copolyesters.

Eastman launched Tritan in 2007, initially marketing it as a bisphenol-A (BPA) free replacement for polycarbonate (PC).

The latter is made with bisphenol-A (BPA), and there were growing concerns about BPA leaching out of bottles and food containers made with PC.

However, other qualities of Tritan made it attractive for additional uses. It can maintain its clarity, making it an alternative to polypropylene (PP), which can become hazy over time.